policy matters
While conclusive evidence regarding the
safety and effectiveness of dried marijuana as
a medical treatment is limited, a significant
quantity of research has been published on
this topic.
The College recommends that physicians
seeking more information begin by consulting Health Canada’s comprehensive resource:
Information for Health-Care Professionals:
Cannabis (marihuana, marijuana) and the
cannabinoids.
Information about specific strains of dried
marijuana, including their concentration of
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), can be obtained directly from
licensed producers.
3. What if my patient disagrees with
my decision not to prescribe dried
marijuana?
Discussions around the medical use of dried
marijuana are frequently initiated by patients,
who may be confused or disappointed by
a physician’s decision not to prescribe. The
College recommends that physicians seek
to manage patient disagreement by clearly
communicating why dried marijuana is not a
clinically appropriate option for them.
Helpful recommendations for communicating with patients about this decision can be
found in Kahan, Meldon, et al. (2014), Prescribing Smoked Cannabis for Chronic Noncancer Pain: Preliminary Recommendations,
Canadian Family Physician, 60, 1083-1090.
4. Can I charge patients a fee for
prescribing dried marijuana? Or for
providing education around the use of
dried marijuana?
No. The College considers the medical document authorizing patient access to dried marijuana to be equivalent to a prescription. As
prescriptions, together with activities related
to prescriptions, are insured services, physicians must not charge patients a fee.
5. Can I charge a licensed producer a
fee for verifying the validity of a
prescription?
No. Verifying the validity of a prescription is
considered a common element of an insured
service, and therefore must not entail a fee.
How does the College make policy?
We work hard to ensure that
our policies are evidencebased, fulfil the College’s
public interest mandate, and
provide clear, useful guidance
to the profession.
Using an infographic, we
take you through several steps
in our robust process that
ensures that we deliver the
best policies possible.
See the entire infographic at www.cpso.on.ca
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