FOR PATIENTS
Talking to your doctor about medicinal cannabis
This page explains how prescription medicines like ours reach patients in New Zealand, and where to find independent information.
This page does not provide advice about whether medicinal cannabis is right for you. Your doctor or specialist has your medical history, and they are the people best placed to help you with any questions you have.
We do not supply patients directly
Helius is a manufacturer. We make prescription medicines and supply them to pharmacies throughout New Zealand. We cannot sell to you directly, and under New Zealand law we cannot tell you whether a medicine is suitable for you, or recommend a clinic.
If you have been prescribed a Helius medicine and you have a question about it, speak to the pharmacist who dispensed it or the doctor who prescribed it.
How access works in New Zealand
The pathway for patients.
1
Talk to your health professional.
Any doctor, prescribing pharmacist, or nurse practicioner registered in New Zealand can prescribe a medicinal cannabis product that meets the minimum quality standard. They do not need a special licence, and they do not need approval from the Ministry of Health in order to prescribe.
2
Your prescriber decides.
They will consider your situation, what you have already tried, and whether a medicinal cannabis product is appropriate for you. They may decide it is not, or they may refer you to a specialist.
3
A pharmacy dispenses it.
Not every pharmacy holds stock, so they may need to order it in for you.
4
You pay the pharmacy.
Medicinal cannabis products are not currently funded by Pharmac. Your prescriber or pharmacist can tell you what a prescription will cost before you commit to it.
Questions worth asking
If you are going to discuss medicinal cannabis with your doctor, these are worth having written down before you go in.
What are my options, and where does a medicinal cannabis product sit among them?
What are we trying to achieve, and how will we know whether it is working?
What are the risks and the side effects, and what should I watch for?
How might it interact with the other medicines I take?
What will it cost, and when would we review it?
Does it affect driving, or my work?
Where to find independent information
Ministry of Health, Medicinal Cannabis Agency.
Learn about the medicinal cannabis scheme, the rules, and the published list of products that meet the minimum quality standard.
Medsafe.
New Zealand's medicines regulator.
Healthify He Puna Waiora.
Health information in everyday language.
Your pharmacist.
Free, local, and used to answering questions about medicinal cannabis.
We do not publish clinical or educational material about medicinal cannabis on this website. The agencies above and your doctor are available to help you make an informed decision.
If you think you have had a side effect
Tell your prescriber or your pharmacist first. They can help you and they are required by law to act on it.
You can also report it yourself to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring, which is independent of us and of your prescriber.
​
If it involves a Helius medicine, these medical professionals will inform us and we will instigate and investigation.
Common questions
When you need support
If you are not sure who to ask, start with us and we will point you to the right place. We cannot give you medical advice, but we can tell you how supply works.