Patients interested in medical cannabis should contact their regular doctor (all doctors can, according to the existing guidelines, prescribe cannabis (CBD/THC)), or a doctor listed on this medical cannabis network. While waiting for the changes voted by the parliament that will facilitate the procedure, the doctor has to submit a request for an exceptional authorisation to the FOPH.
Limited medical application of prohibited narcotics (e.g. “cannabis”, THC)
The FOPH may grant exceptional authorisations for the medical use of narcotics (particularly with cannabinic-type effects). Only the attending physician may make the application, with the patient’s written consent.
Application for exceptional authorisation
Machine written applications, duly signed, should be addressed to :
Confidential
Federal Office of Public Health
Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Division
3003 Bern
Only applications signed by the attending physician can be examined. Applications with an electronic signature, a facsimile signature or e-mails are not accepted. Direct requests from patients are not accepted.
Applications must be completed in full and in detail. The FOPH may at any time request additional information and documents in order to clarify a situation.
The FOPH controls holders of exceptional authorisations, in particular by examining intermediate and final reports. If necessary, the control may be carried out on the spot at the prescribing physician’s office.
Exceptional authorisations are only issued to doctors authorised to practise in Switzerland for the treatment of patients domiciled in Switzerland.
Information required for the application
The elements to be provided are :
Patient data (name, sex, date of birth and address)
Medical information:
– diagnosis
– indication for treatment
– justification of the desired treatment (anamnesis, treatment history, clinical evolution, etc.).
Medication
– medication (desired action)
– posology
– planned duration of treatment
Origin (pharmacy), possible coverage of the treatment by an insurance company
Information on the applicant doctor (name and address)
Signed confirmation from the applicant doctor that he :
– has entered the data in due form,
– will draw up an interim report on the progress of treatment, as requested by the FOPH
Written declaration of consent by the patient for the treatment covered by the application.
Expiry of authorization
A new application for treatment must be submitted no later than two weeks before the expiry of the authorisation, and must be accompanied by an interim report on the progress of the treatment.
Interruption/end of treatment
Any interruption of treatment must be announced, together with a brief explanation of the reasons (death, unsatisfactory effects, etc.).