Releaf medical cannabis: why a varied formulary is essential

You may be asking, ‘what is a formulary?’. 

A ‘formulary’ in a medical cannabis clinic, or pharmacy, is a list of the medicines available to them. 

Releaf’s formulary contains an extensive range of cannabis oils and medical cannabis cultivars, including a range of UK-grown, Releaf branded medical cannabis cultivars, unavailable anywhere else. 

This range is the first of its kind in the UK, and includes six different cultivars all grown in an AI-automated, UK Home Office and MHRA compliant, facility based in Wiltshire, which is owned and operated by GlassPharms®. 

As well as Releaf’s own range, our GMC registered doctors can prescribe medical cannabis cultivars and oils that have been sourced from manufacturers in Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, or even as far as Australia, Jamaica, and Canada. 

‘Why?’, you may be asking. 

Because no two people are the same, and, neither are cannabis cultivars.

How cannabis-based medicines differ

The therapeutic or medicinal effects attributed to cannabis-based medicines originate from the cannabinoids and terpenes they contain.

Cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, and terpenes, like Myrcene, Humulene, Linalool, and Pinene, naturally occur in the cannabis plant in varying strengths and concentrations depending on the cannabis cultivar species (colloquially known as strains).

These individual compounds have shown to interact with the body, and each other, in different ways. For example, those with chronic pain, or insomnia may benefit from cannabis-based medicines that are THC dominant, while those with anxiety may find CBD dominant products suit their needs better. 

Terpenes work similarly. Terpenes like Myrcene and Linalool are believed to be particularly useful when treating pain management concerns, while pinene and Humulene have shown therapeutic anti-inflammatory potentials. 

Catering to a wide range of patient needs

Because medical cannabis isn’t a ‘one-size fits all’ approach, we’ve curated an extensive formulary that allows us to personalise patient treatment plans to each individual, and cater to a wide range of patients who have different conditions.

When patients first join Releaf, our specialist doctors spend 30 minutes with them during their initial consultation, discovering how their specific health condition, or conditions, impact them on a daily basis. 

This takes into account:

• What symptoms impact them the most
• How severe or intense their symptoms are 
• How frequently they experience these symptoms
• How, and when, the symptoms are typically triggered
• How long they typically last for
• How much discomfort they cause. 

Often patients experience different symptoms, or they may be more intense, at different times throughout the day, and this is also spoken about to explore how their health needs transition throughout the day. 

Our doctors then use this information to filter through the cannabis-based medicines available to them, looking at their terpene and cannabinoid profiles to find the best product,  or combination of products, for each patient.

For example, a patient with chronic pain may be prescribed a cannabis oil to take at bedtime because they are typically long-lasting and can help patients sleep through the night. But, for daytime use, a medical cannabis cultivar may be prescribed to be vaporised to alleviate any rapid or sharp symptom onsets that may occur.  

Catering to different lifestyles and preferences

We know how scary starting a new health journey can be, and we want to make it as easy as possible for every patient to seamlessly incorporate medical cannabis into their everyday life. So, our doctors also spend time finding out patient preferences, such as their preferred administration method, and more about their lifestyle and day-to-day activities, to help us do just that. 

For example, while some patients may prefer to only use medical cannabis oil because it is more in keeping with their lifestyle, others require the rapid relief offered when medical cannabis flower is vaporised and then inhaled.

Our doctors ask how often a patient drives and what they do for work too, to try to help them find the most suitable solution for them as an individual, to help them go about their day unencumbered by symptoms, but, not impaired by their medicine.

At Releaf, we know that accommodating these preferences not only leads to higher patient satisfaction, but also often, adherence to their set treatment plan too, which in turn leads to better health outcomes. So, it’s something we’re more than happy to do. 

Ensuring continuity of care

Because European legislations surrounding medical cannabis have only started to shift in the last decade or so, unfortunately, there is still a limited number of manufacturers, or cultivators, capable of growing medical cannabis to the required pharmaceutical standard.  

Combined with the frequent delays caused by during the international importation process of a controlled substance, and the fact that demand has recently been significantly dwarfing supply, there have been repeated disruptions to patient treatment plans in the UK. 

And, this in turn, has had a detrimental effect on the people who depend on this medicine. 

Having consistent access to cannabis-based treatments that patients know work for them is paramount in achieving trust and confidence. So, when we entered the industry, we knew this precarious supply chain was something we needed to fix - and, it’s why we partnered with Glass Pharms.

Our landmark partnership with Glass Pharms

In June, we became the first healthcare provider in the UK to prescribe medical cannabis to a patient that was grown here in the UK, just a stone's throw away from Stonehenge. 

This not only significantly reduced dispatch and delivery times, made a positive contribution to the UK's economy and reduced carbon footprint, but also comes with a guarantee that patients will not be prescribed an item that appears as out of stock when they go to order it. 

This is because the Releaf range is unavailable elsewhere, and Glass Pharms implement a unique, and ingenious, cyclical harvesting strategy that ensures supply is constantly meeting the demand created by Releaf patients. 

Conclusion

At Releaf, we see our varied formulary not as not just a list of medicines, but a testament to our commitment to providing personalised, effective patient care. Investing in a diverse formulary doesn’t only allow us to meet our current patient needs, it also helps us to prepare for the future. 

Our partnership with Glass Pharms underscores this dedication consistency and reliability, and provides our patients with uninterrupted access to the treatments they depend on, because we’re not just treating their health - we’re looking after their wellbeing.

To find out more about how medical cannabis prescriptions work in the UK, or how to find out if the condition you live with is suitable for medical cannabis treatments, head over to our blog, education section, or homepage to find out more.