Evaluation of educational seminar on the analysis of pesticides in cannabis

Abstract

Introduction: There is a need for sensitive, accurate and efficient methods of analysis to determine amounts of pesticides in herbal products intended for medicinal use, such as cannabis for medicinal use. An educational seminar on the analysis of pesticides in cannabis was organised for scientists and healthcare professionals involved in pharmaceutical analysis, evaluation of herbal medicinal products and patient safety. During the seminar, reflections on standardised methods of analysis of pesticides that could be adopted by the industry were discussed to help ensure quality, efficacy and safety of herbal medicinal products. The aim was to evaluate this educational seminar. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to attendees at the end of the seminar. Respondents were asked to rate on a five-point Likert scale from ‘strongly disagree to ‘strongly agree’ whether the seminar was well organised, helped them appreciate fundamental principles of pesticide analysis and information in the seminar was comprehensive. Results: 56 participants out of 80 completed the questionnaire. Thirty-one respondents were female and ages ranged from 20 to 64 years. The majority of respondents (n = 36) had a post-graduate education level and 25 respondents worked in industry. Positive feedback (score of 4 or 5) about the educational seminar was received: 54 respondents felt that the educational seminar was well-organised, 49 respondents claimed that the content of the seminar met their expectations, and 47 respondents felt that the educational seminar was relevant to their practice. Fifty-one respondents felt that the educational seminar helped them appreciate fundamental principles of pesticides analysis and information in the seminar was comprehensive. Conclusions: The educational seminar was positively appraised by the attendees. Organisation of similar seminars in the future could help to provide opportunities for stakeholders to come together, network and collaborate in developing harmonised methods for pesticides analysis which are efficient and sustainable.