A 2014 Cochrane review concluded that “no reliable conclusions can be drawn at present regarding the efficacy of cannabinoids as a treatment for epilepsy,” Dr. Brooks-Kayal said (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Jun 13;6:CD009270). The American Academy of Neurology’s own systematic review reached the same conclusions (Neurology. 2014 Apr 29;82[17]:1556-63). The American Epilepsy Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association do not recommend routine clinical use of cannabinoids for seizures, but do call for additional research. “We need better data!” Dr. Brooks-Kayal said.
Dr. Brooks-Kayal disclosed that as past president of the American Epilepsy Society (AES), she was a coauthor and promoter of the AES position statement on the use of medical marijuana for epilepsy.
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