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INTROCANN FOR DOCTORS

Your one stop shop for prescribing medicinal cannabis with detailed information about applications, indications, dosage, research, and education

Prescribing medicinal cannabis

Currently, the only way patients may legally access medical grade cannabis is through a Section 21 application. IntroCann knows this can be a detailed and time consuming task.

How we can help

Section 21 Application and Logistics

We have developed a simple doctor’s portal (which may be used either on or offline) that automates the application completion. Our back office streamlines the procedure. In this way, IntroCann ensures that the entire process is straightforward and effortless for prescribing doctors.

South African Law - The Medicine and Related Substances Act 101, as amended - Provides for medical cannabis to be prescribed for a patient by a doctor under Section 21 regulations. 

Education and Training

Access IntroCann to obtain online and events training modules, that are CPD accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

Gain access to an online education portal offering evidence-based education and resources. The portal uses analytics and global data (over 70 million data points) to guide and recommend to doctors optimal prescribing protocol.

 

IntroCann is your one stop shop for cannabis education and discovery

REGISTER WITH INTROCANN

SIGN UP

Creating an account allows you to access our doctor's portal. Here is the information on how IntroCann provides patients with access to medicinal cannabis.

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WELCOME PACKAGE

Once we have verified your practice, you will be provided with a welcome package that contains information on the laws on prescribing medicinal cannabis and how IntroCann creates easy access to information and more.

SAHPRA Section 21 allows doctors to apply for medical cannabis. SAHPRA charges a mandatory, non-refundable fee of R350 for the application.

DOCTOR PRESCRIBES

Now that you are verified you are able to utilise our portal to automate the patient prescription process. (Should you prefer, you can download the prescription documents and complete by hand.)

IntroCann Portal at a Glance

Cannabis Education

IntroCann provides an all-inclusive learning experience, so that doctors can fully understand cannabis as a medicine. 

In-Depth Cannabis

We take a deep-dive into medicinal cannabis, exploring patient suitability, dosing and titration. 

How to Prescribe

All the resources you will need to accurately dose and titrate cannabis for each unique patient. 

Data Analytics

IntroCann provides a  patient reporting tool, allowing the prescribing doctor to monitor the efficacy of medicinal cannabis treatment for that patient on a real-time basis.

Resources

We have put literature together, both for and against cannabis, to help doctors along their journey. 

Doctor FAQs
Is using medicinal cannabis legal in South Africa?
Yes, medicinal cannabis is legal within South Africa, however, there are laws governing its prescription, usage and accessibility. Medicinal cannabis products are not registered medicines in South African and can only be accessed through a Section 21 prescription approval process from SAHPRA.
What is medicinal cannabis?
Medicinal cannabis is cannabis in any form (e.g. oils, capsules, flower, spray) that is prescribed by a doctor for specific medical purposes. It is different to black market cannabis because the bioactive compound profile of medicinal cannabis is known and is manufactured under strict conditions to comply with Good Manufacturing Practice, ensuring consistency in product quality and therapeutic effect. Good quality medicines have undergone additional research to establish their safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics.
What does medicinal cannabis treat?
Medicinal Cannabis can be been used to treat a number of different symptoms and conditions, including Chronic Pain, Nausea and Vomiting, Multiple Sclerosis, Wasting Syndrome/Loss of Appetite, Seizure Disorders, Fibromyalgia, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Arthritis, Anxiety and Depression, Glaucoma, Chronic neuropathic pain that impacts daily activity or impairs mobility, mood disorders such as anxiety, which are common in patients with chronic pain, sleep disturbances and clinical insomnia, made worse by pain and anxiety.
Treatment
Who can prescribe medicinal cannabis?
Medicinal cannabis can only be prescribed by a doctor. If a doctor decides that medicinal cannabis therapy is appropriate, then the doctor will apply to SAHPRA for a Section 21 approval for unregistered medicines.
How to prescribe?
IntroCann offers CPD accredited course modules and face-to-face training that will provide necessary access to treatment and prescribing methodologies.
View Courses
How do I know if medicinal cannabis treatment could benefit my patient?
Patients living with chronic pain, with the effects of treatment-resistant epilepsy, or those suffering the side effects of chemotherapy could benefit, as well as patients living with a range of psychiatric conditions including PTSD, OCD and anxiety.
How will my patient get his/her medicinal cannabis products?
Patients will be given an option to collect from their doctor, providing he/she is a dispensing doctor, or from the pharmacy of their choice, or the one month's supply can be delivered directly to their home. Our logistic division will contact the patient to arrange ordering, payment and delivery once the Section 21 is approved.
Is medicinal cannabis covered by medical aid?
Not currently.
What are the recommendations about product types, dosing and tracking usage?
Go to IntroCann's webpage on choosing a product.
More recommendations
Illegal Market vs Medical Market
Purchasing or consuming cannabis from the black market exposes patients to numerous risks. Legal producers of cannabis products follow the stringent rules of their countries' health regulations, while illegal growers do not follow any specified regulations or standards. Regulations and standards are in place to ensure the supply of the highest quality medical grade product. This is to guarantee that their products meet health and safety standards.
Hemp vs Cannabis
The cannabis plant and its products have many different terms to describe many different functions, which can cause plenty of confusion for patients.
Learn More
What is ‘pharmaceutical’ grade and ‘GMP’?
Pharmaceutical GMP is the system that applies to manufacture and storage of medicines. “Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)" describes a documented set of principles, procedures and controls that ensure that therapeutic goods are of high and consistent quality.
What is the difference between the products you prescribe and CBD oil that can be bought online or in shops without a prescription?
CBD oils found without a prescription in South Africa are made from industrial hemp. Industrial hemp consists of strains of the cannabis plant that have been cloned and bred to remove the THC to less than 0.001%. These products vary in cost and quality and are not regulated as medicines. Their use for medicinal purposes is not recommend.
When should Medicinal Cannabis not be used?
Patients with a history of heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or other diseases of the airways), drug/alcohol abuse/dependence, or with a serious mental condition (e.g. schizophrenia) should consult their doctor, before trying cannabis. Patients should also avoid cannabis if pregnant, breastfeeding, planning to get pregnant, or if allergic to any cannabinoids.
Does medicinal cannabis have an expiry date?
Medicinal cannabis products will commonly specify a packaged date, but will state that no expiry date has been determined, so what does this mean? In short, cannabis can expire but it is more complex than this. A number of factors influence the longevity of your medicine, but one of the most significant are storage conditions. This includes container/package quality and light exposure. A glass container is preferred, but most importantly it must block light and seal effectively to avoid air movement; a humidity pack in your jar will also regulate humidity and moisture. Storing your medicine in a dark and cool location prevents light exposure which degrades THC and terpenes. With this, your medicine will last 12 to 24 months from the packaged date. When your cannabis does start to degrade, the biggest indicator is the loss of smell, signaling the loss of terpenes.
How long does it take to register once I’ve submitted my Doctors Registration Form?
IntoCann has an average processing time of 1-3 business days after all necessary information has been submitted to us. Once you are fully registered, you will receive a confirmation email.
How long does it generally take to receive product once approval has been received?
We estimate, after the approval process, that delivery will take a maximum of 28 days.
Why IntroCann?
IntroCann provides a one stop shop to doctors to assist you to prescribe medical cannabis, together with complete information on applications, data and analytics, education and literature. IntroCann have developed a simple doctors portal that automates application completion. Our back-office streamlines the procedure. In this way, IntroCann ensures that the entire process is straightforward and effortless for prescribing doctors.
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Section 21 FAQs
Details behind the prescription process and payment
South African Law – The Medicine and Related Substances Act 101, as amended – provides for medicinal cannabis to be prescribed for a patient by a doctor under Section 21 regulations. The doctor will send the signed prescription, together with the patients signed Informed consent to SAHPRA. SAHPRA charges a mandatory non-refundable fee of R350 (R60 per month) per application for the prescription approval – this covers you for 6 months’ supply of product, for each product dispensed one month at a time.
What is the Section 21 application fee?
R350 payable to SAHPRA. IntroCann has created a simple ‘pay button’ for online registered patients and doctors. Both online and offline patients can pay via EFT or cash as directed on the forms above. The payment reference must be the patients ID number or full name: This is how the proof of payment is traced back to you. No application will be accepted by SAHPRA without the proof of payment. The current non-refundable fee applicable can be obtained by referring to the Section on fees on the SAHPRA website, www.sahpra.org.za.
What is the turnaround time for a Section 21 application for orthodox medicines for human use?
The turnaround time is 24-48 hours during working days. There are cases, where this turnaround time might be prolonged, for example where unfamiliar medication requires extensive research to be done by the evaluators.
How long is the Section 21 authorisation valid for?
It is valid for a maximum of 6 (six) months unless otherwise stated. Should your doctor prescribe six months, dosage then the non-refundable mandatory fee payable to SAHPRA equates to R60 per month, with the full amount of R350 payable upfront.
Who can apply for a Section 21?
Any doctor registered with the SA Health Professions Council and having a valid Practice Number can apply.
Can a patient apply for a Section 21 on his/her own?
No, a Treating Practitioner who takes full clinical responsibility (for monitoring safety, efficacy and quality of the unregistered medicine) must complete an application.
Section 21 re-authorisation
Re-authorisation is possible with a valid approval number from a prior approval, that is no older than 10 months, for use of the same medicine for the same patient. Re-authorizations are intended for patients that require ongoing treatment, and whose authorizations are close to expiry or recently expired. You will still be required to pay the mandatory fee of R350 (R60 per month) to SAHPRA. No application will be accepted by SAHPRA without the proof of payment.
Informed Consent
This is a SAHPRA requirement in terms of which SAHPRA obtains acknowledgement from the patient that his/her medicinal cannabis, imported under Section 21 is not registered as a medicine in South Africa.
SAHPRA Products FAQ
View Guide
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Prescribing FAQs
What paperwork do I fill out for a section 21 application?
All the paperwork can be found when you register with IntroCann
Register with IntroCann
Where can I learn more about medicinal cannabis?
Doctors looking to learn more about medicinal cannabis can sign up with IntroCann for comprehensive online classes and webinars.
Sign up for online courses with IntroCann
How do I choose a product for a patient?
We have put together a simple guide to help doctors choose the ideal product for patients.
Choosing a Product
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Book an appointment with our medical science team

Prescribing and Dosing Assistance

Do you need assistance in prescribing medicinal cannabis, understanding dosing recommendations or completing your first Section 21 application?

Email us using the form below and one of our team members will be in touch with you. 

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The IntroCann Portal

Please note that the IntroCann Portal is currently available on desktop only. A mobile version of the portal will be available soon.

MOBILE VERSION COMING IN 2021