Introduction
The National Compassionate Care Council formed the Medical Advisory Board to develop medical cannabis dosing guidance and accelerate safe, evidence based care.
Immediate outputs will include:
- Standardized dosing framework for clinicians
- Evidence roadmap to guide research and policy
- Clinician toolkit for shared decision making and dosing
Read the official press release and announcement coverage for membership and mission details: official press release, announcement coverage.
TLDR Medical Advisory Board
Medical Advisory Board will unite clinicians and researchers to speed safe, evidence based medical cannabis care. Near term actions:
- Clinical guidance: issue practice recommendations and clinician toolkit
- Standardized dosing: publish a dosing framework
- Real world evidence: collect observational data to inform policy
Sources: official press release and announcement coverage.
Purpose of the Medical Advisory Board
The Medical Advisory Board will serve as NCCC’s scientific and clinical compass. It brings together clinicians from emergency medicine, pain management, palliative care, oncology, and cannabinoid therapeutics to align bedside practice and policy while advancing medical cannabis, clinical guidelines, and evidence-based medicine.
Therefore, the board will advise on clinical standards, shared decision-making, and standardized dosing to improve patient safety and consistency. It will also prioritize generating real-world evidence to translate clinical experience into actionable data for clinicians and lawmakers.
Key roles and goals are:
- Provide clinical guidance to support evidence-based cannabis policy reform at federal and state levels.
- Generate real-world evidence to translate clinical experience into actionable data.
- Recommend standardized dosing frameworks and informed consent practices.
- Promote shared decision-making between clinicians and patients to tailor care.
For the official announcement, read the press release announcing the Medical Advisory Board. Learn about the council mission and goals on the organization’s about page. Expected outputs in the next 6–12 months include a standardized dosing framework, a clinician toolkit for shared decision-making, and an initial real-world evidence report.
National Compassionate Care Council forms Medical Advisory Board: Key Members and Expertise
The Medical Advisory Board brings together twelve clinicians and researchers with varied medical expertise. They include physicians experienced in emergency medicine, pain care, palliative medicine, oncology, and cannabinoid therapeutics. Therefore, the group can address both bedside practice and policy translation in parallel.
Key members and expertise
- Leigh Vinocur — Clinical leader and advisor on cannabinoid therapeutics. She emphasizes evidence over regulatory inertia.
- Bonni Goldstein — Clinician with deep experience in cannabinoid patient care.
- Gladstone McDowell — Emergency medicine and acute care perspectives.
- Robert Marks — Pain management expertise to inform dosing frameworks.
- Jordan Tishler — Respiratory and cannabinoid therapeutics clinician and educator.
- David Casarett — Palliative care researcher with a focus on end of life care.
- Joseph Rosado — Clinical researcher with cannabinoid treatment experience.
- Chanda Macias — Practitioner focused on practical patient access and clinical workflows.
- Leslie Mendoza Temple — Community health and patient advocacy expertise.
- Genester Wilson-King — Policy and medical equity perspective in care delivery.
- George Valdez — Oncology-related clinical insight for symptom management.
- Mikhail Kogan — Integrative medicine and cannabinoid therapeutics experience.
Each member adds specific domain knowledge. Moreover, their combined expertise supports NCCC’s goals for standardized dosing, shared decision-making, and real-world evidence generation. For official membership details and board quotes, see the press release at the press release and the mg Magazine announcement at the mg Magazine announcement. These sources confirm the board roster and its stated mission.
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Key Members and Expertise
See the full Advisory Board roles at a glance table for titles, specialties, and contributions: full advisory board table. The board announcement and an additional summary provide roster context and mission details: announcement summary.
- Leigh Vinocur — Chief Medical Advisor — Lead clinical strategy and design of practical dosing frameworks.
- Bonni Goldstein — Physician — Develop patient education and case based clinical guidance.
- Gladstone McDowell — Emergency Medicine Physician — Advise on acute safety protocols and emergency care considerations.
- Robert Marks — Pain Management Specialist — Create opioid sparing pain dosing recommendations.
- Jordan Tishler — Clinician Educator — Produce physician training modules and clinical protocols.
- David Casarett — Palliative Care Researcher — Define outcome measures and real world evidence methods.
- Joseph Rosado — Clinical Researcher — Oversee study design and translational data interpretation.
- Chanda Macias — Clinic Leader — Optimize clinic workflows and scalable patient access pathways.
- Leslie Mendoza Temple — Community Health Leader — Lead community outreach and public health engagement strategies.
- Genester Wilson-King — Health Equity Advocate — Advise on policy to reduce disparities and expand equitable access.
- George Valdez — Oncology Clinician — Integrate symptom management protocols for cancer care.
- Mikhail Kogan — Integrative Medicine Physician — Develop safety frameworks and integrative treatment protocols.
Advisory Board roles at a glance
Caption: Quick reference mapping each member to title, specialty, and primary contribution.
| Member | Title | Specialty | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leigh Vinocur | Chief Medical Advisor | Cannabinoid therapeutics | Clinical strategy and standards |
| Bonni Goldstein | Pediatric and integrative physician | Complex patient cannabinoid care | Dosing guidance and education |
| Gladstone McDowell | Emergency physician | Acute and emergency medicine | Safety and acute use protocols |
| Robert Marks | Pain specialist | Chronic pain management | Dosing frameworks and opioid-sparing |
| Jordan Tishler | Clinician educator | Clinical education and policy | Physician training and protocols |
| David Casarett | Palliative care researcher | Palliative medicine | Real-world evidence and study design |
| Joseph Rosado | Clinical researcher | Cannabinoid treatment research | Research methods and data analysis |
| Chanda Macias | Clinic leader | Patient access and workflows | Implementation and access pathways |
| Leslie Mendoza Temple | Community health leader | Public health and outreach | Equity and community engagement |
| Genester Wilson-King | Health equity advocate | Policy and medical equity | Policy guidance to address disparities |
| George Valdez | Oncology clinician | Cancer symptom management | Oncology symptom care insights |
| Mikhail Kogan | Integrative medicine physician | Integrative approaches | Safety frameworks and protocols |
Sources: official press release announcing the Medical Advisory Board and press announcement summarizing the board formation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Medical Advisory Board?
It is a 12 member panel of clinicians and researchers convened by the National Compassionate Care Council to guide safe, evidence based medical cannabis care. The board will produce clinical guidance, prioritize real world evidence, and support shared decision making (see Purpose of the Medical Advisory Board section).
Who serves on the board and what are their backgrounds?
Twelve physicians and researchers represent emergency medicine, pain management, palliative care, oncology, integrative medicine, and community health. For a quick roster and specialties, see the Table Comparing Roles and Contributions of Advisory Board Members.
What will the board do to improve safety and standards?
The board will recommend a standardized dosing framework, shared decision making tools, and safety protocols to increase consistency in clinical care. It will also prioritize real world data generation to inform practice and policy; see the National Academies evidence review for context here.
How will this effort benefit patients who use medical cannabis?
Patients should get clearer dosing guidance, improved informed consent, and more clinician support for individualized care. In addition, better training and data should reduce risks and improve treatment consistency; see practical safety considerations here.
How will the board influence research and policy?
Members will translate clinical experience into actionable evidence, design rapid learning studies, and craft recommendations for lawmakers and regulators. That work aims to close research gaps and speed adoption of physician guided, evidence based cannabis care.
How will clinicians access the dosing framework?
Once finalized the standardized dosing framework will be published in a clinician toolkit and distributed through webinars, downloadable guidance, and partner networks. Clinicians can also expect training modules and implementation resources to support bedside use.
What is the timeline and expected outputs (6–12 months)?
Over 6 to 12 months the board expects to deliver a standardized dosing framework, a clinician toolkit for shared decision making, and an initial real world evidence report. Additional near term outputs include training modules, implementation guidance, and policy recommendations (see Purpose of the Medical Advisory Board section).
