The State University of Campinas (Unicamp) is launching the course "Medicinal Cannabis: from plant to patient", which will take place between October 31 and January 30, 2026. The goal is to train professionals to understand and apply the therapeutic use of cannabis safely, ethically, and based on evidence.

Registrations can be made until October 24, through the link (click here).

The course will be held with distance learning classes, through the Moodle platform, integrated with the Extecamp/DTIC systems. The training will be conducted by Prof. Priscila Gava Mazzola, a columnist for the Sechat Portal.

After enrollment, students will receive by email the instructions to access the virtual environment, including link, login, and password. The organization recommends checking spam or junk mail folders if the message is not found in the inbox.

Training Objectives

The course aims to train healthcare professionals, researchers, and other interested parties to understand the therapeutic use of Cannabis, from its botany and cultivation to clinical application. The training provides a broad view of the production, regulation, and safe use of Cannabis-based medicines.

Additionally, the program explores scientific evidence and the role of healthcare professionals in prescribing and monitoring patients. The focus is to promote a practice that is evidence-based, ethical, and focused on comprehensive care.

Comprehensive Content

According to Unicamp, the course offers a comprehensive approach to the therapeutic use of medicinal cannabis, addressing the plant's characteristics and its use as a medication. The history of the plant, its ancestral uses, the period of prohibition, and the contemporary situation in Brazil and worldwide will be presented.

Botany and cultivation will be explored, including the main Cannabis varieties and their chemical characteristics, with emphasis on cannabinoids (THC, CBD, and others). The extraction, standardization, and product formulation process will also be detailed, covering quality control and production challenges.

The course will highlight scientific evidence on the use of medicinal Cannabis in treating various conditions. Practical aspects of prescription, the role of the pharmacist, case studies, and the ethical and social dilemmas surrounding the topic will also be addressed.