This is the fourth and final surveillance report for a living systematic review on cannabis and other plant-based treatments for chronic pain.
The systematic review synthesizes evidence on the benefits and harms of plant-based compounds (PBCs), such as cannabinoids and kratom, used to treat chronic pain, and addresses concerns about severe adverse effects, abuse, misuse, dependence, and addiction.
The purpose of this surveillance report is to describe new studies identified since the last search (mid-January 2022) and provide a synthesis of the accumulated evidence. Surveillance update reports are planned on a quarterly basis, and the full systematic review will be updated annually. A draft of the full systematic review update was posted for public comments on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) website for 4 weeks in March and April 2022. Table 1 provides a summary of the version history.