Strengthening Regulations on Cannabis: Proposed Measures by the Federal Health Ministry
In a significant move to enhance patient safety and medical oversight, the Federal Ministry of Health in Germany has announced stricter rules for the dispensing of medical cannabis. The new regulations aim to ensure that prescriptions are issued through compliant and medically sound practices.
The core of these stricter rules is the requirement for a real physician-patient interaction before dispensing medical cannabis. Prescriptions based solely on online questionnaires without a physical or telemedical consultation will no longer be valid under German medical law. This change is designed to reduce legal risks for local pharmacies and discourage business models relying on remote doctors or fast-track online prescribing platforms without genuine medical accountability.
The new rules also mandate that prescriptions must be medically justifiable and based on recognized medical practice. This means a doctor’s diagnosis and prescription need to meet established medical standards rather than relying on quick or checkbox-style online forms.
The Federal Association of German Pharmacists' Associations (ABDA) has welcomed the draft bill "expressly." ABDA President Thomas Preis stated that medicines are not ordinary consumer goods and do not belong on purely commercially oriented trading platforms.
The new regulations also include comprehensive information and advisory obligations for medical cannabis prescriptions. Cannabis will only be available for collection in pharmacies, not by post. Repeat prescriptions will also require recent personal contact within the last four quarters.
The increase in imports of cannabis flowers for medicinal purposes since the Cannabis Act came into force in April 2024 has been substantial, largely attributed to an rising number of private prescriptions from self-payers and procurement via online platforms. However, the new rules for prescriptions do not address the issue of imports.
The concern for the high risk of addiction and effects on brain development in young people is emphasized by ABDA President Thomas Preis. Prescriptions for medical cannabis at the expense of statutory health insurance increased by nine percent in the same period.
These changes reflect a commitment to ensuring that medical cannabis is dispensed with authentic medical evaluation and oversight, thereby protecting patients, pharmacies, and ensuring compliance with German medical laws.
[1] Source: Federal Ministry of Health, Germany
- The new regulations for medical cannabis prescriptions in Germany, aiming to enhance patient safety and medical oversight, now require a real physician-patient interaction, disqualifying prescriptions based solely on online questionnaires without a physical or telemedical consultation.
- To curb the misuse of medical cannabis and reinforce medical accountability, the stricter rules mandate that prescriptions in Germany must be medically justifiable and based on recognized medical practice, rather than relying on quick or checkbox-style online forms.
- In light of the growing use of medical cannabis, especially through private prescriptions and online platforms, the new regulations also encompass comprehensive information and advisory obligations for medical cannabis prescriptions in Germany, ensuring they are only available for collection in pharmacies and repeat prescriptions require recent personal contact within the last four quarters.
