CBD reduces seizures in drug-resistant pediatric epilepsy, study finds
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A new study has found cannabidiol (medicinal cannabis) to be a promising treatment for several drug-resistant forms of pediatric epilepsy, offering renewed hope to families.
Purified non-psychoactive cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) as an additional therapy option for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy associated with Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes.
However, thousands of Australian families affected by other rare forms of drug-resistant epilepsy are excluded from the PBS and can face out-of-pocket costs of more than $24,000 annually to access the medication privately.
In Victoria, a limited number of families can obtain subsidized treatment through the state government's Compassionate Access Scheme, which has a capped number of participants.
Lead researcher Dr. Daniel Perkins from the University of Melbourne said, "This new study provides real-world evidence showing CBD's therapeutic potential extends beyond Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes."
Researchers from the University of Melbourne, the Royal Children's Hospital, Monash Medical Centre and Austin Health conducted a 12-month multisite study following 103 pediatric epilepsy patients younger than 18.
The patients were receiving cannabidiol through the Victorian government's Compassionate Access Scheme.
All patients suffered from severe forms of epilepsy that were resistant to antiepileptic drugs currently available in Australia.
Between November 2020 and May 2025, patients at the Royal Children's Hospital, Monash Health and Austin Health were prescribed high-purity cannabidiol at doses ranging from 5 mg/kg/day to a maximum of 20 mg/kg/day.
The doses were initially given orally in addition to the patient's usual medication and, depending on the treatment's effectiveness, other medications were reduced over time.
Results showed that epilepsy severity was significantly reduced over 12 months. While not all children responded, among those who remained on treatment at 12 months, 77% showed some level of improvement, alongside reductions in seizure frequency, medication use, emergency hospital visits and hospitalizations.
For families whose children have exhausted other treatment options, these improvements can make a real difference to daily life.
Perkins said, "Children who presented with high epilepsy severity at the outset tended to show somewhat greater reduction in symptoms over the course of treatment.
"While the patients suffered from a diverse range of epilepsy types, the results didn't distinguish any particular type as being more responsive to treatment."
Treatment was generally well tolerated, with only 6.8% of patients discontinuing due to adverse events.
Around 1 in 200 Australian children live with epilepsy, with around a third of cases resistant to medication.
"Thousands of Australian children live with medication-resistant types of epilepsy, which can result in significant health and quality-of-life burdens," said co-researcher from the University of Melbourne, Dr. Andreas Halman.
"Alongside other international evidence, this research strengthens the case for the federal government to consider expanding funded access to cannabidiol for other types of childhood drug-resistant epilepsy."
Further targeted research would help identify which patients are most likely to respond to treatment.
The study was published in the Epilepsy and Behavior journal.
More information
Danielle A. Wallace et al, Epilepsy as a predictor of subjective memory and executive dysfunction in American children and adults, with sleep as a relevant factor, Epilepsy & Behavior (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2026.111139
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NeurologyChildren's healthPediatricsClinical pharmacology Provided by University of Melbourne Who's behind this story?
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