CARE – A Retrospective, Dual-Cohort, 24-Week Real-World Study from the German Pain e-Registry on the Effectiveness and Safety of CBD-Dominant Oral Cannabis Extracts versus THC/Dronabinol in Older Patients with Chronic Pain

Abstract Background: Pharmacological treatment of chronic pain in older adults presents a therapeutic challenge. The severity of symptoms contrasts with the risk–benefit ratio of available drugs, especially in the presence of comorbidities and polypharmacy. This underlines the need to evaluate alternative therapies such as cannabis-based medicines (CBM). Objective: To assess the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant full-spectrum extracts (CBD > tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) versus pure THC/dronabinol (THC/DRO) in patients aged ≥65 years with chronic or refractory pain. Methods: Retrospective,