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Ilana Braun, MD

Chief, Division of Adult Psychosocial Oncology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

I aim to understand the role medicinal cannabis (MC) plays in oncology, psychiatry, their intersection, and in the larger healthcare system. My goal, which I pursue with neutrality, is to bring into sharp focus what is medicinal about cannabis, risky about it and, most importantly, what will facilitate healthcare professionals in guiding clinical care regarding this botanical. Chief of DFCI’s Adult Psychosocial Oncology Division, I entered this field of inquiry in 2013 when I led a task force to develop evidence-based MC guidelines for Mass General Brigham and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in MA. I have since conducted investigations on national cohorts of oncologists, cancer patients, and MC dispensary personnel to understand their perspectives and practices regarding MC use. I have teamed with a drug developer to undertake basic science discovery of potentially druggable endocannabinoid targets in anxiety management and am in the midst of a Phase II drug trial exploring the efficacy of cannabidiol-- an anxiolytic, non-intoxicating, and relatively safe cannabis constituent-- in tamping down acute cancer-related anxiety. I am passionate about how the results of this clinical trial, whether positive or negative, might better inform psycho-oncologic care.

I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Presentation(s):

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