Marijuana as an antiemetic drug : how useful is it today ? opinions from clinical oncologists

FRANÇAIS :
Une enquête auprès de deux groupes de praticiens oncologistes, montre que la marijuana n'arrive qu'au 9ème rang dans le traitement des nausées et vomissements modérés induits par la chimiothérapie anticacéreuse, et au 6ème rang pour le traitement des symptômes plus sévères. 65 % des praticiens interrogés l'ont prescrite moins de 10 fois et 3,5 % plus de 100 fois (soit à 1% de leurs patients). Ceux qui l'ont prescrite pensent que son efficacité est de 50 % et qu'il y a des effets secondaires chez 25 % des patients. Même si elle était libéralisée, la marijuana ne serait pas utilisée plus fréquemment par les cancérologues américains.
ENGLISH :
To determine the antiemetic drug preferences of practicing adult oncologists and to estimate the frequency of use of marijuana smoke as an antiemetic agent. Two groups of oncologists were surveyed. Marijuana (either as marijuana smoke or oral tetrahydrocannabinol) ranked ninth in order of preference for the treatment of mild to moderate nausea and vomiting, and sixth for the treatment of more severe symptoms induced by chemotherapy. Most (65 %) respondents reported having prescribed marijuana or oral THC 10 times or less ; only 3,5 % had prescribed such drugs more than 100 times which represented for them about 1 % of their average lifetime clinical patient load. The respondents who had prescribed marijuana in any form thought that it had effectively relieved post-chemotherapy nausea or vomiting in 50 % of patients. Unpleasant adverse effects were estimated to have occurred in 25 % of treated patients. Only 6 % respondents indicated that they would prescribe marijuana much more frequently - if there were no legal barriers associated with its medical use. (From the authors' abstract)