IOL reported on 4 August 2022  that Cannabis Clinics and RecoMed are to launch a 24-hour online booking and virtual consulting platform listing doctors that are available to see patients via an encrypted video call with a regular payment gateway.

RecoMed chief executive Sheraan Amod said that the venture would “expand the health-care choices of South Africans and optimise their access to treatments that can help them better manage their health conditions.

“With the new 24/7 Cannabis Clinics booking platform, they will be able to easily find qualified medicinal cannabis practitioners, make bookings for tele-health or physical consultations, get reminders of their appointments, make secure online payments and arrange to either fill their prescription at any leading pharmacy or have their meds delivered directly to their home or office by Clicks Direct Medicines,” Amod said.

Craig Ludwig, chief strategy officer at Cannabis Clinics, said the organisation was proud to be working with RecoMed to facilitate and optimise this direct patient-to-doctor consultation programme throughout South Africa via their platforms.

“It’s a significant step forward in helping to create access to medicinal cannabis products for patients who have previously been excluded from opting to include legal, high-quality medicinal cannabis in their health-care and treatment regime,” Ludwig said.

Medicinal cannabis products, which range from oil, sprays and capsules to vapes and dried flowers, are used in the management of health conditions such as cancer symptoms, chronic pain management, epilepsy, palliative care and mental health issues such as anxiety and insomnia.