A trial in the USA examining the possible benefits of THC and CBD as a safe treatment option for dementia patients is looking for many more participants.
Agitation is a common occurrence in those at end-of-life stages in dementia. This can lead to incidents including falls; particularly when the patient is being treated with medications such as benzodiazepines, morphine, or antipsychotics that can also cause other undesirable side effects. The final stages of dementia may last days, weeks, or even months; creating a great deal of distress for the patient, caregivers, friends and family.
The LiBBY (Life’s-end Benefits of cannaBidiol and tetrahYdrocannabinol) Study is investigating the use of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol for treating agitation in hospice-eligible people with dementia in a safer way.
Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study involves participants receiving a THC/CBD oral combination versus placebo in the form of a digestible oil over 12 weeks. The medication being used is called T2:C100.
Among the eligibility criteria, individuals must be eligible for hospice care, have a diagnosis of any type of dementia, show symptoms of agitation, be at least 40 years of age, and have a study partner – a loved one/carer who has at least 5 hours of contact with the patient per week. Participating in the study could also require a Legally Authorized Representative (LAR), which may be the participant’s study partner.
While needing to be eligible for hospice care, patients don’t necessarily need to be in a hospice facility full time – in-person visits associated with the study can take place at a participant’s home or at a facility. Participating in the study doesn’t mean other prescribed medications/therapies will stopped – those can continue.
The study’s name is a tribute to Libby Soffar, a dementia patient needing the support of hospice care. But her loved ones unfortunately encountered limited options concerning her care and treatment.
“With the LiBBY Study, we hope for that to change,” says the LiBBY website.
The study is being conducted by the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC) and coordinated by the University of Southern California’s Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI), Medical University of South Carolina, and Georgetown University.
The trial has several locations across the United State. Further information on the LiBBY Study can be found here.
US trial examining the possible benefits of THC and CBD as a safe treatment option for dementia patients is looking for more participants. Read More
