Germany: health insurance reimburses cannabis for 13,000 patients

In Germany, the number of patients treated with cannabis has risen rapidly since the legalization of medical cannabis in march 2017.

At the request of Rheinische Post, some of Germany's largest health insurance providers have published their latest figures which detail the number of medical marijuana.

One year after legalization, some 13,000 patients were reimbursed for cannabis products in flower form, while a further 7,000 claims were rejected.

The number of private prescriptions, for which patients are not eligible for drug reimbursement, In addition, there are likely to be even more of them. Official figures have not yet been published, although you can get an idea.

National production to regulate cannabis prices

The German cannabis prescription system distinguishes between private and reimbursed prescriptions. Private prescriptions do not involve health insurance and do not lead to reimbursement. For the latter, patients must first obtain proof that they can have cannabis prescribed and reimbursed. Cannabis for their pathology, by a panel of independent doctors, before they go to their doctor and receive their prescription.

For everyone, however, the average price of a gram of medical cannabis in German pharmacies is around €25, well above black market prices.

For the time being, Germany is sourcing from abroad, mainly in Canada, but has undertaken the creation of a national cannabic cultivation industry. The first harvests are planned for 2019 and should mechanically lower the price of cannabis in pharmacies.