Fibromyalgia Patients Said Nurses Could Fill Gaps in Medical Cannabis Knowledge
Fibromyalgia patients reported feeling dismissed by the healthcare system and said that nursing consultations improved their understanding of medical cannabis as a treatment option that had often never been proposed to them.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 30 fibromyalgia patients, 20 reported that medical cannabis had never been proposed despite years of ineffective therapies. Patients described historical experiences of being labeled "insane" or "imaginary ill." A 30-minute nursing educational intervention via videoconference improved patients' understanding of the disease and treatment options including medical cannabis.
Key Numbers
30 patients recruited from 1,100 solicited. 20 patients (67%) said medical cannabis was never proposed to them. 30-minute nursing videoconference intervention. Patients completed FIQR, A-14, and CGI-I scales.
How They Did This
Qualitative study recruiting 30 fibromyalgia patients from the Italian Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association. Participants completed the FIQR and A-14 Scale before and after a 30-minute nursing videoconference educational intervention, plus the CGI-I Scale post-intervention.
Why This Research Matters
Fibromyalgia patients often feel their condition is not taken seriously. When nurses with specialized knowledge provide education about all treatment options including medical cannabis, it addresses both the information gap and the feeling of being dismissed.
The Bigger Picture
As medical cannabis becomes more available, many patients who could benefit are not being informed about it as an option. Nurse-led education could help bridge this gap while also providing the patient-centered care that fibromyalgia patients often lack.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample from a single patient association in Italy. No control group. Self-selected participants who were already interested in medical cannabis. Short follow-up period (2 weeks).
Questions This Raises
- ?Would longer follow-up show sustained improvements?
- ?Does nurse education actually change cannabis prescribing patterns?
- ?Would similar results be found in countries with different medical cannabis access?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 67% of patients said medical cannabis was never proposed to them
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: small qualitative study without a control group, from a self-selected population
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025
- Original Title:
- Symptom management, adherence to therapy, and filling the gaps of medical cannabis therapy: a qualitative study on the importance of nursing consultations for fibromyalgia patients.
- Published In:
- Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 84 (2025)
- Authors:
- Bassi, Giulia Martina, Giorgi, Valeria(2), Lazzarin, Michela, Meanti, Ramona, Omeljaniuk, Robert J, Sarzi-Puttini, Piercarlo, Torsello, Antonio
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06020
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why were so many patients not told about medical cannabis?
The study found that 20 of 30 fibromyalgia patients had never been offered medical cannabis despite years of ineffective treatments. The authors suggest this reflects inadequate healthcare professional education about cannabis-based treatment options.
Did the nursing intervention help?
Patients reported that the 30-minute videoconference with a knowledgeable nurse improved their understanding of fibromyalgia and treatment options. The study suggests nurses with specialized training are well-positioned to fill this education gap.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06020APA
Bassi, Giulia Martina; Giorgi, Valeria; Lazzarin, Michela; Meanti, Ramona; Omeljaniuk, Robert J; Sarzi-Puttini, Piercarlo; Torsello, Antonio. (2025). Symptom management, adherence to therapy, and filling the gaps of medical cannabis therapy: a qualitative study on the importance of nursing consultations for fibromyalgia patients.. Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 84. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00346-z
MLA
Bassi, Giulia Martina, et al. "Symptom management, adherence to therapy, and filling the gaps of medical cannabis therapy: a qualitative study on the importance of nursing consultations for fibromyalgia patients.." Journal of cannabis research, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00346-z
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Symptom management, adherence to therapy, and filling the ga..." RTHC-06020. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/bassi-2025-symptom-management-adherence-to
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.