Find a perscriber

Identify qualified cannabis physicians and specialized clinics in Germany through online summaries and forums.

 

Online portals provide access to an overview of specialists with extensive experience in the therapeutic use of cannabis.

The general practitioner as the first point of contact: If you have a general practitioner, they are the first point of contact for treatment with medicinal cannabis. Don't shy away from the conversation and feel free to refer them to our information services for doctors if their practitioner does not yet have any experience with cannabis therapy.

The general practitioner as the first point of contact

If you have a general practitioner, they are the first point of contact for treatment with medicinal cannabis. Don’t shy away from the conversation and feel free to refer them to our information services for doctors if their practitioner does not yet have any experience with cannabis therapy.

Qualified Cannabis Physicians and Specialized Clinics in Germany

Are you looking for a cannabis specialist in your area?

Several websites and forums offer you a compiled overview of qualified doctors and clinics throughout Germany, focusing on the therapeutic use of cannabis. Summary lists like https://flowzz.com/ratgeber/cannabis-arzt or https://www.cannabis-aerzte.de/ feature cannabis specialists with extensive experience.

Please consider that such listings represent only a selection. There are many more physicians and medical professionals active in this innovative field.

To Flowzz

Medical cannabis in Germany:
A guide to cost coverage

Introduction

💡 Since March 2017, patients with serious illnesses are entitled to medical cannabis under certain conditions. This guide provides you with an overview of the requirements, the application process, and how the health insurance decides on approval.

Prerequisites

  • There is a severe illness present.
  • There is no recognized standard treatment for the illness, or the recognized standard method proves ineffective in individual cases or exhibits too many side effects.
  • There is a realistic prospect of a significant positive effect on the symptoms or the progression of the disease.

Procedure

Application procedure

Prior to the first prescription of medical cannabis, approval from the health insurance company must be obtained.

The application consists of two parts:

  1. A written, informal request submitted by the patients.
  2. A medical questionnaire according to § 31 paragraph 6 SGB V, completed and attached by the treating physician.

Medical questionnaire template

Decision of the health insurance company

  • The health insurance company can only decline the application in exceptional cases that are justified.
  • There are specific deadlines for processing applications by the health insurance company.
  • A new authorization is not necessary for repeat prescriptions, changes in healthcare provider, dosage adjustments, or transitions within standardized forms of cannabis products.

Appeal Procedure

  • Health insurance companies have the authority to decline an application for cost coverage through what is known as the “Genehmigungsvorbehalt”.
  • Each application for cost coverage for medical cannabis is individually assessed by the health insurance companies or forwarded to the Medical Service of the Health Insurance Companies for evaluation.
  • In specialized outpatient palliative care, no approval is required.

Find a pharmacy

In principle, all pharmacies in Germany can supply cannabis prescriptions. However, many specialty pharmacies have emerged that specialize in advising cannabis patients.

Cannabis as medicine is prepared individually for patients. So allow some lead time. In particular, pharmacies without a cannabis focus must first procure the products and then prepare them for patients. Specialty pharmacies often have products in stock.

Sometimes it is also worth checking with the pharmacy whether the strain to be prescribed is available.

To find a pharmacy in Germany that carries medical cannabis or specializes in providing advice on it, you can use various resources:

In Germany, patients can find pharmacies that stock and advise on medical cannabis via interactive maps, specialized pharmacy chains such as MEDICON and the Cansativa Partner Program. These resources provide extensive information and support both online and on-site.

Interactive maps and platforms

Websites such as cannabisrezept.de offer a practical overview and an interactive map that makes it quick and easy to find pharmacies and doctors who specialize in medical cannabis. This platform enables both the search for personal advice on site and the use of online consultation hours.

cannabisrezept.de

Specialized pharmacy chains

Some pharmacy chains, such as MEDICON pharmacies, are specifically geared towards dispensing and advising on medicinal cannabis. These pharmacies offer high-quality care and professional advice both online and in their local branches and are part of the Association of Cannabis Providing Pharmacies (VCA).

Cansativa Partner Program

For a wide range of cannabis products and a reliable supply, pharmacies that are part of the Cansativa Partner Program can be a good place to go. This partnership ensures that pharmacies have access to a variety of medicinal cannabis products.

Whether you prefer a face-to-face consultation at a local pharmacy or the convenience of an online consultation, these resources provide you with comprehensive options to find a pharmacy that suits your needs. It is advisable to contact pharmacies directly for information on the availability of specific cannabis products and counseling services.

Self-help groups and
Networks: Support for
Cannabis patients

Germany hosts various self-help groups and networks offering support and information to medical cannabis patients. Key organizations include the German Association of Cannabis Patients (BDCan), the Working Group on Cannabis as Medicine (ACM), and the Cannabis Medicine Self-Help Network (SCM).

The German Association of Cannabis Patients (BDCan) aids individuals in establishing self-help groups for cannabis patients and offers a platform for exchanging experiences and information. Emphasizing “self-help,” they encourage members to create their own groups and share their experiences with others.

The Working Group on Cannabis as Medicine (ACM) is another crucial organization advocating for cannabis patients’ rights. Within the ACM is the Cannabis Medicine Self-Help Network (SCM), operating as an independent patient organization. The SCM facilitates member interaction through a mailing list and a forum, aiming for low-threshold, uninterrupted, and cost-covered provision of cannabis products to patients.

Additionally, these organizations strive to improve medical cannabis provisioning by advocating for doctors’ therapeutic authority, addressing social imbalances in cannabis provisioning, and promoting clinical research. The ACM has significantly contributed to the advancements in medical cannabis use in Germany, paving the way for legal regulations through constitutional complaints and precedent-setting court cases.

For more information and support, visit the organizations’ websites:

These networks provide comprehensive resources and advice for patients using medical cannabis or seeking information about its use.

In Germany, organizations such as the Bund Deutscher Cannabis-Patienten e.V. (BDCan), the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Cannabis als Medizin e.V. (ACM) and the Selbsthilfenetzwerk Cannabis-Medizin (SCM) offer extensive support and resources for medical cannabis patients. These networks promote the exchange of experiences, offer help for self-help and are committed to improving the supply and accessibility of medicinal cannabis.

Federation of German Cannabis
Patienten e.V. (BDCan):

bdcan.de

Cannabis as a working group
Medizin e.V. (ACM):

arbeitsgemeinschaft-cannabis-medizin.de

Self-help network
Cannabis Medicine (SCM):

self-help-network-cannabis-medicine.com

These networks provide comprehensive resources and advice for patients who want to use medical cannabis or learn about its use.