Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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AIDS TREATMENT NEWS Issue #300, August 7, 1998
John S. James
John Salvati, Healing Alternatives general manager, described this program to AIDS TREATMENT NEWS:
* To protect the physicians, they will not be asked to either prescribe or recommend marijuana for their patients. The physician cannot decide whether or not a patient can receive the drug through this program; that decision will be made by Healing Alternatives.
* Instead, physicians will be asked to acknowledge that they are aware that their patient is using marijuana for medical treatment, and that they will continue to provide treatment with knowledge of that use.
* The treating physician will also be asked to confirm the diagnosis of the serious or life-threatening condition for which the patient is seeking access to the drug. Healing Alternatives will only accept conditions for which medical marijuana is recognized.
* All batches will be tested for microbiological contamination.
* Healing Alternatives, which is a non-profit community-based organization, will return any profits to the community and fully disclose where that money is going. If they are able to obtain donated marijuana, they will distribute it without charge.
The following intake procedure will be used:
* All intake will be at the Castro Street office during regular hours. (No marijuana will be dispensed or stored at this office, however.)
* The first step is the physician's letter. Healing Alternatives is using a draft created by the San Francisco Department of Public Health for physician use; however, to protect the doctor, Healing Alternatives removed one sentence, in which the physician "recommends" cannabis use for the patient. This letter may be either on the form provided by Healing Alternatives, or on the physician's letterhead.
In either case the physician certifies that the patient is under his or her care for the treatment of ___; that he or she has discussed the medical benefits and risks of cannabis use with the patient as a treatment for these medical conditions; and that if the patient chooses to use cannabis therapeutically, the physician will continue to monitor the patient's medical condition and to provide advice on his or her progress. The statement also notes that the letter is for the use of the patient and Healing Alternatives Foundation only (not other marijuana distribution programs), that the physician may be contacted to verify the information in the letter, and that the patient authorizes the physician to discuss his or her medical condition and the contents of the letter with the center for verification purposes only. The statement is signed by the patient and physician, dated, and expires after a time period specified by the physician.
When the form is returned, the patient can join Healing Alternatives; the annual membership fee is $10 to $35 for persons in the medical-marijuana program, which includes a contribution to a legal defense fund. After an intake process, it takes about a week for Healing Alternatives to verify the paperwork.
Financial need can always be taken into account.
Healing Alternatives is located at 505 Castro Street (at 18th Street), 2nd floor; phone 415-626-4053. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 12 noon to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from noon to 5. Healing Alternatives sells selected nutritional supplements, provides referrals, and distributes AIDS/HIV treatment information.
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