A study found pronounced disparities across US states in prescribing dronabinol and cannabidiol to Medicaid patients, revealing inequitable access to approved cannabinoid medications.
Health policy researchers, Medicaid administrators, patient advocates, and prescribing clinicians.
State-level disparitiesPronounced variation in cannabinoid prescribing to Medicaid patients across US states
What the researchers found
There were significant state-level disparities in prescribing FDA-approved cannabinoids (dronabinol and cannabidiol) to Medicaid patients, indicating that access to these medications varies greatly depending on where patients live.
Why it matters
Medicaid patients often have the greatest need for affordable medications. State-level variation in cannabinoid prescribing suggests systemic barriers that may create health inequities for vulnerable populations.
The numbers in context
Dronabinol is FDA-approved for chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting and HIV-induced anorexia; cannabidiol (Epidiolex) is approved for Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndrome epilepsies.
How the study worked
Analysis of Medicaid prescription data examining state-level patterns in cannabinoid medication prescribing.
Who was studied
Medicaid patients prescribed cannabinoid medications across US states.
What this study cannot tell us
Administrative data cannot capture clinical decision-making reasons; Medicaid populations differ across states; some variation may reflect appropriate clinical differences rather than inequity.
How to read the evidence
Administrative data analysis provides descriptive evidence of prescribing patterns; cannot determine causation of disparities.
When this study was published
Recent analysis of US Medicaid prescribing data.
The bigger picture
These disparities reflect broader issues in Medicaid drug coverage, formulary decisions, and state-level regulatory approaches that affect access to many medications beyond cannabinoids.
Replication
Novel analysis of Medicaid cannabinoid prescribing patterns; findings highlight an under-examined policy issue.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- What drives state-level prescribing variation?
- Are formulary restrictions the primary barrier?
- Do medical cannabis state laws affect pharmaceutical cannabinoid prescribing?
Read the original research
Pronounced State-Level Disparities in Prescription of Cannabinoids to Medicaid Patients.
Medical cannabis and cannabinoids, 6(1), 58-65
Citation
Liu, Edward Y; McCall, Kenneth L; Piper, Brian J. (2023). Pronounced State-Level Disparities in Prescription of Cannabinoids to Medicaid Patients.. Medical cannabis and cannabinoids, 6(1), 58-65. https://doi.org/10.1159/000531058