CannTrust to Offer Medical Cannabis Medication Coverage to its Employees

First Licensed Producer to Provide Qualified CannTrust Employees With Full Health Benefit Coverage of Medical Cannabis: Call to Action for Employers and Health Insurance Companies to Consider Covering Medical Cannabis

VAUGHAN, ON, March 5, 2015 /CNW/ - CannTrust, Canada's only pharmacist-controlled licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis today announced another important patient-access initiative with the announcement that it will fully reimburse medical cannabis to all qualified employees of the Company.

"At CannTrust, we believe that medical cannabis is an effective, alternative medication therapy and that it should be a fully covered health / drug benefit to employees," says Norman Paul, Chairman of CannTrust. "We are very proud to be the first licensed producer to offer its qualified employees this added benefit."

While patient interest in the use of medical cannabis for symptom relief continues to grow, Canadian physicians are increasingly investigating medical cannabis use for their patients. However, most employers and their health insurance companies are still not considering medical cannabis an eligible benefit under group benefit programs. To date, medical cannabis coverage is offered only by employers offering employees Self-insured Private Health Services Plan (PHSP) benefits such as a health spending account (HAS).

"Health insurance companies and employers should consider medical cannabis as part of the coverage offered to employees," adds Paul.  "A patient using medical cannabis is legal under the MMPR program in Canada. It is accepted as a medical document provided by doctors to licensed producers of medical cannabis and yet, unfortunately, for many Canadians there are no means to be reimbursed for this medication in the current system."

Paul continues to add that every Canadian should be entitled to receive the treatment that is prescribed to them by their physician. It's the fundamental premise to the creation of the CannTrust Patient Assistance Program.

With more than 40 years of pharmacy and healthcare experience CannTrust sets itself apart from all other licensed producers of medical cannabis in Canada.  The legacy of patient-centricity created by pharmacy veteran Norman Paul in his initial mail-order pharmacy business has been applied to the CannTrust business model, creating a truly unique experience for qualified medical cannabis patients.

About CannTrust Inc.

CannTrust received its license to distribute medical cannabis to patients who have a completed medical document from their physician or nurse practitioner in February 2015 and is currently offering 6 strains of hydroponically grown pharmaceutical grade cannabis. 

Based in Vaughan, Ontario, CannTrust's 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art hydroponic facility employs strict quality control procedures allowing for the continuous production and harvest of pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis for patients in need.

CannTrust is committed to research and innovation and to contributing to the growing body of evidence-based research for the use and efficacy of medical cannabis.

The company supports ongoing patient education about medical cannabis across Canada through partnerships with a variety of patient and physician-based organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network, Forces & Family, Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids among others and provides the most robust patient assistance medical cannabis program to support patients with financial needs in Canada.

For more information, visit CannTrust.ca or call 1-855-RX4-CANN (794-2266).

SOURCE CannTrust Inc.

Tova Manett, CannTrust Inc., [email protected], 647-872-2305