This newsletter is distributed to physicians with an active Certificate to Recommend Medical Marijuana (CTR) and provides important updates for the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP). 

The State Medical Board of Ohio approved 5 new CTR applications since the March board meeting. As of April 14, 2021, the total number of active certified physicians is 673.

The board has sought expert review for the Category 4 petitions: Huntington’s disease, restless leg syndrome, spasticity and spasms, and terminal illness. It will serve as its own expert for autism disorder and panic disorder with agoraphobia.

The board's Medical Marijuana Committee and the expert reviewer are scheduled to meet in May to discuss the expert's report on the conditions. Following the discussion, the committee will then vote on its recommendation to the full board. The full board is expected to make a decision about the six conditions this summer.

Board agendas, including agendas for the Medical Marijuana Committee, will be available on the board’s website: https://med.ohio.gov/The-Board/Board-Meetings-Minutes 

Physician Annual Report 

Ohio Revised Code 4731.30 and Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-03 require each physician with a CTR to submit an annual report to the Medical Board. To collect the annual report data, the Medical Board will be sending a survey to all certified physicians. Each physician will be asked to give their professional opinion on the effectiveness of medical marijuana for the conditions for which it has been recommended.

The board will email you the survey on May 3, 2021. Your responses will be due by May 21, 2021. 

Please be aware, completion of the survey is a statutory requirement for all physicians with a CTR. If the board does not receive your survey response as requested, you may be contacted directly.

State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Updates

Incorrect Patient Information

Patients who notice incorrect, misspelled, or missing information on their patient profile, e.g. name or driver license information, are directed to contact their recommending physician to correct the error. Physicians should not instruct patients to contact the Board of Pharmacy to correct or update patient information.

Entering incorrect or incomplete patient information will preclude the patient from purchasing and requires immediate attention. Additionally, physicians must enter the patient’s legal name – rather than a nickname used by the patient – into the registry, e.g. do not use “Mike” instead of “Michael.” The name on the patient’s registry account must much match the name on the patient’s identification or the registration is considered inaccurate.

Existing Accounts

Prior to registering a new patient or caregiver, search for the individual in the Patient & Caregiver Registry and ask if they have been a patient or caregiver in the Ohio Medical Marijuana Program before. If a patient or caregiver account already exists for the individual, do not create a second profile. Be sure to update the patient/caregiver’s information if needed on the original profile.

Entering Alternative Forms of Identification

When entering an alternative form of identification in the Patient & Caregiver Registry, such as a birth certificate, there are steps that must be followed in order for the patient to be searchable. Please click here to view the Board of Pharmacy's guidance on how to properly enter alternative forms of identification in the Patient & Caregiver Registry.

Verifying Physician Information in OARRS Account Profile

All physicians should verify that their contact information (email address, physical address, phone number, DEA license number, and state license number) is correct in their OARRS account profile. Please remember that the contact information included in your OARRS account profile is viewable by patients. Further, if the information is incorrect or missing and a dispensary attempts unsuccessfully to reach the physician, the dispensary may deny a patient purchase.  

To help inform physicians choosing to include instructions for use, the types of products currently available through the Medical Marijuana Control Program are listed below.