THC was prescribed only to severely ill children in Vienna, with significant documentation gaps

The 32 pediatric patients who received THC had an average of 9.42 diagnoses and were treated with an average of 13.52 other drugs simultaneously. Brain cancer and genetic diseases were the most common diagnoses. Eleven of 32 patients (34%) died by the end of the study period, indicating predominantly palliative use. Significant gaps in documentation of indications, dosage, and treatment duration were identified.

Retrospective data analysis of all THC prescriptions at the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, from 2016-2018. Patient records reviewed for diagnoses, concurrent medications, and prescribing documentation.

This study reveals both the extreme caution applied to pediatric THC prescribing (only the sickest patients) and the paradox that even in a controlled medical setting, prescribing documentation remains inadequate.

The gap between the severity of illness in children receiving THC and the quality of documentation about their THC treatment represents a patient safety concern that needs addressing as pediatric cannabis medicine evolves.

Single-center retrospective study. Very small sample of 32. Documentation gaps may reflect charting practices rather than actual prescribing quality. Austrian regulatory context may not generalize.