Medicinal Cannabis Matters: Friday Roundup - 11 September 2026

Medicinal Cannabis and Improvements in Endometriosis Symptoms

New research from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry has provided real-world evidence on the longer-term use of medicinal cannabis in people living with endometriosis.

The two-year prospective study followed 101 adults with a primary diagnosis of endometriosis who had been prescribed medicinal cannabis for endometriosis-associated pain. Researchers assessed patients at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, looking at a range of outcomes including pain severity, quality of life, sleep, anxiety and prescribed opioid use.

The results showed improvements from baseline across measures of pain, health-related quality of life, sleep and anxiety at every follow-up point. By 24 months, average prescribed opioid use had also fallen from 19.9mg to 14.8mg of oral morphine equivalents per day.

The two years of follow-up provides valuable real-world insight into how patients prescribed medicinal cannabis for endometriosis may experience treatment over time.

Measuring the Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, plays an important role in regulating a wide range of processes within the body. Yet compared with systems such as blood glucose or cardiovascular health, there are currently very few practical ways to measure how it is functioning in an individual patient.

A new development is exploring whether that could change. Dr Stefan Broselid, founder and scientific lead of ECS Restore, has filed a patent application designed to target what he describes as dysfunction within the endocannabinoid system. Alongside this, he is developing a proposed physiological biomarker that could potentially provide an indication of changes in CB1-associated function.

At present, however, there is no established clinical test that can tell a patient or clinician exactly where their endocannabinoid system sits within this process. The proposed approach aims to identify a wider physiological “fingerprint” that could change alongside known adaptations in CB1 biology. If the hypothesis can be validated, it could eventually contribute to a more personalised approach to cannabinoid medicine.

There is still a considerable amount of research to be done. But for medicinal cannabis, this kind of research is significant because the future of treatment may depend not only on developing new cannabinoid medicines, but also on better understanding the biological systems they interact with.

What you need to know about medicinal cannabis in Northern Ireland

Medicinal cannabis has been legal on prescription in Northern Ireland since November 2018. However, access and the practicalities of managing a prescription can still be difficult to navigate.

A recent Cannabis Health guide looks at who can prescribe medicinal cannabis, access through Health and Social Care, private treatment and some of the important considerations for patients travelling with their medication.

Private access is available through UK clinics, like Medicann, with consultations often taking place remotely and medication delivered to patients at home. For patients who are prescribed medicinal cannabis, understanding the rules around travelling and driving is also important. Patients travelling within the UK should keep their medication in its original packaging with the dispensing label and carry evidence of their prescription.

There is an additional consideration for patients travelling across the border into the Republic of Ireland. A prescription that is legal in Northern Ireland does not automatically mean that medicinal cannabis can be taken into the Republic of Ireland. Current Irish guidance does not permit prescribed medicinal cannabis to be brought into the country, so patients should always check the latest requirements before travelling.

The legal framework may provide access to treatment, but knowing how to manage a prescription safely and responsibly is an equally important part of being a medicinal cannabis patient.

The evidence is continuing to develop, but no single study provides all the answers. As more research is carried out and more patients receive treatment within a regulated clinical setting, the industry’s understanding of medicinal cannabis continues to grow.

At Medicann, patient care comes first. If you’re considering whether medicinal cannabis may be suitable for your condition, you can check your eligibility online in just two minutes.

Disclaimer: This blog post and the following featured articles are for information only and any articles on external platforms may be amended at any time. Articles that we refer to in our weekly roundup do not reflect the views of Medicann.