The International Society of Cannabis Pharmacists (ISCPh) participated in the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Cannabis Research Conference (MACRC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, contributing to discussions on the evolving role of healthcare professionals in cannabis medicine and the importance of evidence-based clinical education.
Dr. Melani Kane, PharmD, ISCPh President and Executive Director, participated in a conference panel examining perspectives on cannabis care, research priorities, and gaps in healthcare professional knowledge.
Why Healthcare Professional Education Matters
Patients using cannabis-based products increasingly present healthcare professionals with questions about potential therapeutic benefits, product selection, dosing, drug interactions, and adverse effects.
Yet cannabis-specific clinical education remains inconsistent across healthcare disciplines and practice settings.
Healthcare professionals may be familiar with conventional medication management principles but have limited training in the pharmacology, formulation characteristics, and clinical considerations associated with cannabis-based therapies.
Addressing these gaps is essential to supporting safe, informed patient care.
Moving Beyond Cannabis Product Education
Effective clinical education must go beyond identifying cannabinoids or describing available cannabis products.
Healthcare professionals need practical competencies that support medication management, including:
- Obtaining and interpreting medical cannabis medication histories
- Evaluating therapeutic response and treatment-related adverse effects
- Identifying potential pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug interactions
- Understanding formulation and administration considerations
- Supporting individualized dosing and treatment adjustments
- Recognizing when additional clinical evaluation or referral is appropriate
These activities reflect principles already established in pharmacy practice, but applying them to cannabis-based therapies requires additional product-specific knowledge and clinical judgment.
The Evolving Role of Pharmacists
As medication-use specialists, pharmacists have opportunities to contribute across clinical care, research, education, and medication-safety oversight.
Their role extends beyond dispensing to include the assessment of treatment appropriateness, identification of medication-related problems, patient counseling, and interdisciplinary communication.
However, establishing these services requires a stronger foundation of education, clearly defined professional responsibilities, and research evaluating the impact of pharmacist involvement.
Supporting Clinical Education Through CliniCan™ Foundations
ISCPh is working to address healthcare professional knowledge gaps through CliniCan™ Foundations, its ACPE-accredited continuing education program.
The next live course is scheduled for February 20, 2027, bringing together faculty with expertise in cannabinoid science, clinical applications, formulations, dosing considerations, and regulatory issues.
The program is designed to strengthen foundational knowledge and help healthcare professionals approach cannabis medicine through an evidence-based, medication-safety perspective.
Connecting Education, Research, and Patient Care
Conferences such as MACRC provide valuable opportunities to identify emerging educational needs and foster connections among clinicians, educators, and researchers.
For ISCPh, these discussions reinforce an important priority: healthcare professional education must evolve alongside changes in cannabis research, clinical use, and regulatory oversight.
By connecting professional education with clinical research and medication-management principles, ISCPh aims to support a healthcare workforce better prepared to address the complexities of cannabis medicine.
Learn more about ISCPh’s upcoming educational program and opportunities for healthcare professionals to strengthen their knowledge of cannabis medicine.