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Summary
Objective
A supply shortage of dronabinol occurred between December 2023 and February 2024, forcing chronic pain patients to discontinue this treatment. We assessed the impact of this shortage on patients in our hospital.
Method
A retrospective observational study of patients treated with dronabinol was conducted. Collected data included socio-demographic, pharmacological and clinical data. Pain intensity and its interference, the intensity of other pain dimensions (mood, relationship with others, etc.) and quality of sleep were collected before discontinuation (dronabinol dosage balanced, M0) and at the end of discontinuation (dronabinol stopped for several weeks, M3). The patient’s perception of his state of health evolution was collected at the end of the shortage.
Results
Health deterioration was reported by 86% of patients after 3 months of rupture. Pain intensity and its interference with patients’ daily lives increased significantly. Patients’ sleep deteriorated significantly. The number of patients with permanent pain increased 5-fold (n = 2 at M0 and n = 10 at M3). The number of patients with more than 20 painful attacks per 24 hours increased 2-fold (n = 2 at M0 and n = 4 at M3).
Conclusion
Although data on the efficiency of dronabinol are currently limited, this supply disruption has had negative clinical consequences for our patients. With drug shortages multiplying in recent years, the marketing of new specialties and therefore the availability of therapeutic alternatives could help reduce the clinical impact of a possible new dronabinol shortage in these refractory chronic pain patients.