Sapphire Medical Clinics and Dendrite Clinical Systems have launched the UK Medical Cannabis Registry, an initiative that is designed to rapidly expand the evidence base for medical cannabis in the UK and decrease the cost of access for patients. The launch will collect and analyse clinical information on patients taking medical cannabis treatments for all recognised eligible conditions.

“We delighted to be part of this exciting registry that will provide much needed evidence about the efficacy of medicinal cannabis,” said Dr Peter Walton, Managing Director of Dendrite Clinical Systems. “This registry will collect and record data on cannabis-based medicinal products and help determine the how effective medicinal cannabis use is for a variety of life-changing and debilitating conditions.”

This online registry was developed by Dendrite using their ‘Intellect Web’ software, allowing users to enter patient data online, using a range of modern html-5 compatible web browsers, without the need to install additional software or perform any complex system configurations. The registry can be programmed to generate lists for pending follow-ups, letters and prompts to patients and reminder emails to physicians.

Dendrite has also developed and incorporated a novel, interactive, data collection system giving patients the freedom to report their PROMS and AE/SE electronically using their smartphone, negating the needs for costly and time-consuming visits to healthcare specialists. The registry will also collect data on patient demographics, co-morbidities, current medications, smoking/alcohol consumption, occupation, symptoms requiring cannabis, the cannabis product used (dose, brand etc).

“We are very proud to launch our Real World Evidence Platform which ultimately aims to provide the data to allow patients to access cannabis-based medicines on the NHS for all the conditions in which there is proven clinical benefit,” said Dr Mikael Sodergren, Managing Director and Academic Lead at Sapphire Clinics. “Whilst we are actively involved in setting up randomised controlled trials, our Real World Evidence Platform will provide faster access to high quality data and will provide an unparalleled resource for clinicians, regulators and commercial stakeholders.”

The Registry forms part of the Sapphire Real World Evidence Platform incorporating patient-generated health data, which also includes novel sensing and digital biomarkers. In recognition of their contribution to building the most comprehensive such dataset globally, the first thousand patients’ as part of the Sapphire Access Scheme are eligible for a significant reduction in the appointment cost. The UK Medical Cannabis Registry will also be free to contribute to for any patient in the UK with a prescription who wants to advance the science of medical cannabis. Patients on the scheme will also receive greater insight into how their treatment is affecting them via the Real World Evidence Platform.

“There are an estimated 1.4 million medical cannabis patients in the UK and with this initiative we hope to make it more affordable for them to access medication through a recognised clinic where we can carefully monitor their treatment,” said Dr Michael Platt, Medical Director of Sapphire Clinics. “Alongside significant patient demand, there is a need to provide clinicians with a prescribing formulary based on the best data available whilst we wait for clinical trials.”

For further enquiries about the UK Medical Cannabis Registry and how to enrol a patient, please contact: registry@sapphireclinics.com