Patients prescribed medicinal cannabis in Australia maintained improvements in overall health-related quality of life (HRQL), fatigue, and sleep disturbance across a one-year period, according to a study published April 2, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Margaret-Ann Tait from the University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and pain also improved over time for those with corresponding health conditions.
A multicenter prospective study called the QUEST initiative (QUality of life Evaluation STudy) recruited adult patients with any chronic health condition newly prescribed medicinal cannabis oil between November 2020 and December 2021. Tait and colleagues gathered 12-month follow-up data to determine if previously reported improvements at three months would be maintained long-term. Of 2744 consenting participants who completed baseline assessments, 2353 also completed at least one follow-up questionnaire and were included in analyses, with completion rates declining to 778/2353 (38%) at 12 months. Participants with clinician-diagnosed conditions completed questionnaires covering condition-specific symptoms, and HRQL, which encompasses physical, emotional, social, and cognitive function, as well as bodily discomfort.
The researchers found that short-term improvements in overall HRQL reported at three months were maintained over a 12-month period in patients prescribed medicinal cannabis in Australia. People with chronic health conditions reported improvements in fatigue, pain, and sleep. Patients with anxiety, depression, insomnia, or chronic pain diagnoses also showed improvements in condition-specific symptoms over 12 months. Patients treated for generalized anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia, and PTSD all showed improvements in HRQL. Participants with movement disorders had improved HRQL but no significant improvements in upper extremity function scores.
The authors added: “This is promising news for patients who are not responding to conventional medicines for these conditions."
Citation: #
Tait M-A, Costa DS, Campbell R, Warne LN, Norman R, Schug S, et al. (2025) Improvements in health-related quality of life are maintained long-term in patients prescribed medicinal cannabis in Australia: The QUEST Initiative 12-month follow-up observational study. PLoS ONE 20(4): e0320756. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320756 Authors: Margaret-Ann Tait, Daniel S.J. Costa, Rachel Campbell, Leon N. Warne, Richard Norman, Stephan Schug, Claudia Rutherford
Funding: #
The University of Sydney received funding from Little Green Pharma Ltd. to support CR and MT to conduct this study. The funder played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; nor in the decision to submit the article for publication. The study was independently investigator-led and all authors had full access to all data (including statistical reports and tables) in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.