In 2023, regulations on changes in issuing e-prescriptions came into force, including for a group of medicines to which medical cannabis belongs. They aim to limit abuses related to the large number of prescriptions issued by some e-consultation service platforms. Check how the changes regarding prescriptions will affect cannabis therapy patients.
What will you learn from this article?
👉 How will the changes in regulations affect the situation of patients?
👉 How will the limits for e-prescriptions look?
👉 How will the process of issuing a prescription for medical cannabis look?
Table of contents:
Limits for e-prescriptions 👩⚕️
The ability to provide medical services online resulted in many websites appearing on the internet offering e-consultation with the possibility of issuing a prescription after entering the necessary medicines in a form.
Lack of oversight over such services caused record holders to issue even 400 thousand e-prescriptions annually. Out of concern for the health and life of patients, the Ministry of Health decided to introduce limitations, thanks to which such practices will no longer occur.
According to data, the main abuses in issuing prescriptions concerned prescription machines (so-called prescription dispensers) or internet medical consultations that have nothing to do with a real consultation.
Prescription limits concern full-pay medicines, which is the result of actions aimed at protecting patient safety. New regulations assume that a doctor can see a maximum of 80 people within 10 working hours and prescribe no more than 300 prescriptions. Reimbursed prescriptions were decided to be excluded from the changes, as they are under constant control of the National Health Fund.
Restrictions on prescribing medical marijuana
Changes in regulations also apply to remote prescription issuance for intoxicating and psychotropic substances, which include medical marijuana. For a doctor to issue a prescription for cannabis herb, they will have to conduct an examination and assess how the medicines might affect the patient.
In the case of continuing treatment, patient examination will not be mandatory. However, this applies to people who are already being treated with medical marijuana and no more than three months have passed since their last visit.
Information about the changes is confirmed by Bartosz Jabłoński from Medicante – a medical center dealing with cannabis treatment, who says that:
To start medical marijuana therapy or continue it, patients will have to be physically examined and qualified for therapy.
Bartosz Jabłoński from Medicante
Due to these changes, Medicante is starting to open stationary offices in the largest provincial cities, and is also looking for solutions for patients from smaller towns so as not to leave them without the needed medicines.
😷 How will new regulations affect patients of medical marijuana?
Medical cannabis therapy patients must be aware that new regulations require them to have a physical meeting with a doctor and assess the impact of treatment every three months.
This is a major change for all medical marijuana patients, as they will be required to book an appointment in advance with a specialist, who will have limitations on the number of patients they can accept.
Medicante specialized therapy center employs many doctors and can accept over 1,300 patients daily. However, other clinics that employ only a few specialists will have to limit the number of patients they serve, which will negatively affect their treatment.
Summary
The new regulations are a response from the Ministry of Health to the abuse of online portals that issued e-prescriptions without any consultation with patients. Unfortunately, these changes also affect medical marijuana patients, who will have to make an in-person appointment with a doctor in order to start therapy or continue it.
Sources:
https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/rozwiazania-zapobiegajace-lamaniu-prawa-przy-wystawianiu-recept
https://bip.brpo.gov.pl/pl/content/dostepnosc-terapii-medyczna-marihuana-rozporzadzenie-mz-ponownie
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