cannabisnews.com: Pot-Prescribing Doctors Warned 





Pot-Prescribing Doctors Warned 
Posted by CN Staff on October 19, 2005 at 06:56:31 PT
By Andre Picard, Public Health Reporter
Source: Globe and Mail 
Canada -- The organization that provides malpractice insurance to Canadian physicians is telling doctors they should not prescribe medical marijuana unless patients sign a release-of-liability waiver.In a letter to its 60,000 members, the Canadian Medical Protective Association cautioned physicians that they could face lawsuits for prescribing marijuana because it is an unproven drug so they should be careful to protect themselves, according an article published on the web site of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Both the CMPA and the Canadian Medical Association have opposed the medical-marijuana program since its inception in 2001.The physicians' group and its insurers have argued that marijuana has not been subject to the same testing as other prescription drugs and that doctors have been unduly burdened with the role of "gatekeepers" of a program that they do not support and that leaves them vulnerable to lawsuits.In June, the federal government adopted new regulations that were designed to address the concerns of physicians, but the CMPA said in its letter to doctors that the amendments were insufficient."The revised regulations are certainly an improvement but underlying concerns remain," said Dr. John Gray, chief executive officer of the CMPA. "Prescribing medical marijuana cannot be compared to prescribing prescription drugs."Canada's Marihuana Medical Access Regulations were amended so doctors no longer have to recommend the daily dosage of marijuana or the manner in which the patient intends to take the drug, nor do they have to attest to the benefits of marijuana use. Many physicians found it absurd and unethical to give their patients a prescription to smoke, and many had concerns about the lack of research showing the benefits of pot for treatment of specific symptoms.Under the new regulations, the onus shifted from the prescribing physician to the patient. People who apply for the right to use medical marijuana must now attest that they "discussed the risks of using medical marijuana with a medical practitioner . . . and consent to using it for the recommended medical purpose."Currently, 1,042 people in Canada are legally authorized to possess marijuana for medical purposes, according to Health Canada. About 250 of the program participants buy dried marijuana from Health Canada while the balance are authorized to grow their own pot.Most of them smoke pot to treat chronic pain or to alleviate symptoms of chronic illnesses such as HIV and AIDS and multiple sclerosis.The CMPA recommends that physicians present their patients with a release form, but patients are not obliged to sign it. And even a patient who has signed the waiver is not prevented from suing. In Quebec, physicians are specifically prohibited by law from requesting that a patient sign a release from professional liability. Note: Get your patients to sign a liability waiver or face lawsuits, insurance group says.From Wednesday's Globe and MailSource: Globe and Mail (Canada) Author: Andre Picard, Public Health ReporterPublished: Wednesday, October 19, 2005Copyright: 2005 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.com/Related Articles:Medical Marijuana May Be Coming To Pharmacies http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21105.shtmlPharmacists Eye Medicinal Pot Markethttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19995.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by john wayne on October 24, 2005 at 16:28:34 PT
who put the CMPA up to this?
were their initials perhaps D....E....A...?
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Comment #5 posted by afterburner on October 20, 2005 at 09:42:11 PT
ON, BC, Nova Scotia, Manitoba MM Lobby for Same!
"In Quebec, physicians are specifically prohibited by law from requesting that a patient sign a release from professional liability."Do it!
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Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on October 19, 2005 at 15:35:29 PT
Absolutely, schmeff
For five thousand years people have walked the earth and used cannabis without a single death, without any calculable side effects, happiness excluded. Sense BUSINESS has taken over medicine, there are thousands of deaths, thousands disabled and suffering from "side effects" of man-made poison pills, that don't cure sh*t. They claim to be "treating" you. And for that, they make billions. I understand that some of these "medicines" seem to work, but with much duress to the body human. Cannabis doesn't just treat, remedy, and therapuetize, it cures and prevents. But I guess that's bad BUSINESS, huh?We should absolutely DEMAND that natural medicines never be banned nor prohibited ever again. We should destroy all medicines replaceable by natural alternatives. Force these drugs to be as perfectly harmonious with our bodies as cannabis is!F the pharmaceuticals!!!!Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! 
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Comment #3 posted by runderwo on October 19, 2005 at 15:30:10 PT
schmeff
I was thinking the same thing. Thanks for saving me the post ;)
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Comment #2 posted by cornoir on October 19, 2005 at 15:22:59 PT
Disclaimer: Statement made to saves one's own ass!
Okay let me get this straight CMPA is telling their doctors to not prescribe Marijuana unless a patient signs a release of liability waiver.A waiver which does not prevent a doctor from being sued, also a waiver the patient does not have to sign.So I refuse to sign and the doctor prescribes MJ to me. Or I do sign and the doctor prescribes MJ for me. Either way I can still sue for malpractice. Whats the point?I suppose CMPA will try later to use this to justify charging MJ doctors more for their insurance more than anything else.
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Comment #1 posted by schmeff on October 19, 2005 at 10:26:04 PT
Sign A Liability Release for Vioxx, Celebrex
These greedy profit-protecting bastards have it completely bass-ackwards.Cannabis has been real-world tested in every conceivable dose, combination, variant, and variable for over TWO THOUSAND YEARS with no reliable reports of a fatality.The up 'n coming pharmaceutical toxins kill someone every MINUTE or so.Therefore, because we've all fallen throught the looking glass, we should urge our patients to sign release-of-liability forms for the safest 'drug'. Thank you Canadian Medical Protective Association.
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