As the medical cannabis industry in the UK evolves, so do the companies that support it. Releaf is one of the latest clinics to open its doors to patients. We sat down with Managing Director, Tim Kirby, whose proven track record of building and scaling businesses in complex industries will serve Releaf well in achieving its mission: to transform access to medical cannabis in the UK through technology and compassionate healthcare.
With innovative ideas, extensive experience, and impeccable focus on the patient, Tim Kirby explains how Releaf’s MedTech platform simplifies and streamlines access to cannabis-based medicines, for those who need them most.
Tell us about Releaf’s background, and the motivation to begin prescribing medical cannabis in the UK?
“In 2023, Releaf was born with the desire to transform the medical cannabis landscape for millions in the UK. Despite being legalised in 2018, and our own research showing 29 million adults could potentially benefit from these options, in reality, only around 30,000 people are believed to be currently accessing medical cannabis.
“Our main goal is to address this deficit, and to change as many lives as possible along the way. Using our passionate leadership team, who bring a wealth of experience from a variety of regulated sectors, our state-of-the-art patient platform, and a compassionate, patient-centred approach to care, we are committed to achieving optimal health outcomes for each and every patient.
“We strive to do this by removing the stigma associated with cannabis-based medicines. Addressing the common myths and misconceptions that circle this industry and ultimately, improving patient’s access to, and experiences with, medical cannabis.”
There are over 40 clinics now prescribing cannabis in the UK; what makes Releaf different?
“What sets Releaf apart from the other medical cannabis clinics in the UK is our proprietary MedTech platform which is the first of its kind in the industry. Releaf’s Medtech platform enables streamlined access for patients in a single session online.
“To explain – patients can be pre-approved in real-time with the platform using AI to assess their NHS medical records for eligibility. Patients can request a video consultation with a doctor, also in real-time, without leaving the Releaf Medtech platform. Then, in that session, again in real-time, a doctor can update medical notes, and prescribe the right medication that matches the patient’s condition and lifestyle, before leaving the patient to remain in session online where they can pay for their prescription using Apple Pay or credit card.
“The patient will then receive their Releaf Welcome Box worth £150 completely free of charge. The Welcome Box contains all a patient needs to continue their cannabis treatment journey – including their personalised Releaf medical cannabis card. The card features a unique QR code that can be scanned by any interested third party. After a security verification process, the third party can confirm, by viewing the patient’s open prescription, that the cannabis the patient possesses is for medical purposes.
“The Releaf MedTech platform was the result of two years of research and hard work – and several million pounds of investment. It’s our commitment to creating step-changing access to life-changing medicine within a sector that previously was extremely difficult for patients to navigate and where, before Releaf, patients struggled to get access to this kind of medication.
“The platform puts the patient in the driving seat; it puts the patient in control and feeling empowered to manage their own healthcare options. It gives the patient a never-before-experienced ability to manage their treatment plan, appointment scheduling, and medication ordering, along with ongoing access to medical professionals – all supported by their own, unique medical cannabis card.“
Medical cannabis has been legal for over 5 years in the UK, but patient numbers aren’t growing at the same rate as in countries such as Australia and Germany. Why do you think this is, and what needs to be done to improve uptake?
“I think there are a number of reasons why patient numbers here in the UK aren’t growing at the same rates as they are in countries where the market is established. On average, 2.5% of the adult population have a medical cannabis prescription in those countries where understanding and access are more evolved. Take Australia: medical cannabis was legalised via prescription at the same time as it was in the UK, in 2018. Australia is now supporting the healthcare needs of nearly half a million people who access medical cannabis on prescription, compared to just under 30,000 in the UK.
“Some of this stigma originates from the UK’s societal perceptions of cannabis use, previous probationary actions, and media scaremongering that has surrounded cannabis culturally for generations here. But from a medicinal perspective, the actions (or lack thereof) from healthcare and government bodies have resulted in a complex regulatory framework that makes patient access extremely burdensome for the patient.
“For example, NICE are yet to endorse medical cannabis for some of the conditions where data shows these conditions have responded well to medical cannabis treatment; the NHS has placed strict restrictions around eligibility for CBMPs; on top of this, the government has placed restrictions on the type of doctors who are allowed to issue initial prescriptions for CBMPs, excluding GPs.
“Another barrier many don’t realise is in place, is that medical cannabis clinics are subject to strict advertising regulations upheld by the ASA and the MHRA. This makes it difficult for clinics to address and debunk a lot of the common misconceptions or misinformation we come across.
“However, within this landscape, Releaf is working closely with regulatory bodies to create education and awareness responsibly, to share patient stories and bring that voice to the fore. In that way, we are seeing a significant volume of the UK population begin to embrace and access an alternative solution to their conditions, which leads to a reduction in misuse of drugs such as opioids. Releaf has created choice for patients through trust and seamless access for those people who had no awareness that this healthcare option was even available.”
Releaf provides patients with a medical cannabis card. Other attempts to launch a card were met with scepticism, what makes this one different?
“We know that patients shouldn’t need to carry a card to prove that they are a legitimate medical cannabis patient, or that their use of this medication is legal, but we also know that patients take comfort in being able to prove this is in fact the case.
“Prior to launching our medical cannabis cards, we ran focus groups with existing patients and realised that carrying a sheet of paper can be inconvenient, and at times, their authenticity has been questioned by law enforcement or authorities.
“Considering the scepticism surrounding the legitimacy of patient status verification offered by other cards, as the first regulated clinic to launch and issue its own card, we knew we had to do it right. So we took this feedback on board, and designed our medical cannabis card with credibility, comfort, and convenience in mind. We now distribute them to every Releaf patient, free of charge, for this reason.”
The Releaf Medical Cannabis Card
“Our medical cannabis cards allow any interested third party to pull up a copy of their prescription for cannabis-based medicinal products, simply and swiftly, using the unique QR code. This can prove useful if patients are ever stopped by the police and mistaken for acting illegally, if they run into any issues with their landlord or employer, or even if they’re just trying to explain their medication to a family member or friend.
“For protection and privacy reasons, once the QR code is scanned, the patient will receive a notification allowing them to grant access to the viewer. Once access has been granted, the prescription and all its details, the prescribing doctor’s information, and an explanation of the laws and regulations surrounding medical cannabis use will appear to verify their legitimate patient status.”
Actress Linda Robson is a brand ambassador for Releaf – she’s one of the few famous faces in the UK willing to be open about cannabis use and its benefits. Why do you think we have so few celebrities prepared to discuss cannabis compared to the US and other countries?
“In the US, around 1 in 4 adverts feature celebrities and celebrity endorsements or associations are common practice in their marketing world, but here in the UK, this is far less prominent.
“One of the logical reasons that may explain why there are more celebrity endorsements associated with medical cannabis in the US than there are here could simply be an increased awareness and acceptance of medical cannabis State-side. For example, in California therapeutic cannabis use was legalised in 1996, 22 years before UK legislation came into effect. For some, 22 years is a lifetime, and, for those in California, it’s a lifetime in which cannabis was not subject to harmful prohibition or as much stigmatisation.
“But, in the UK there is still a considerable proportion of the population that remains unaware medical cannabis is an effective, and legal, medicinal option and this proportion also includes celebrities.
“While the pool of active medical cannabis patients in the UK is so small, it’s understandable that there are few British celebrities (that we know of) using these treatment options, and also few that are willing to be open about their support or association with a medical cannabis brand, because of the societal stigmas that still exist.
“This is why we’re grateful to have Linda on board; she is a wonderful brand ambassador, a trusted television personality, and a true advocate for cannabis-based medicines. We can’t wait to work with her more in the future.”
Where do you see the future for cannabis in the UK in the wake of Germany’s historic move to legalise cannabis?
“Although on the surface Germany and the UK seem relatively similar in terms of culture, regulation, health and economy, in actuality there are a lot of differences. The main ones are that in general, Germany acts more efficiently than the UK, and, in terms of people, Germans tend to be more liberal than us Brits.
“Even though medical cannabis was legalised in the UK five years ago, there are still plenty of kinks the industry needs to work out before even considering implementing recreational legislation, I feel.
“At Releaf, we see it as a matter of learning how to walk before learning how to run. Medical cannabis can greatly improve people’s quality of life, when applied appropriately, and this is the aspect we’d like to focus on: its therapeutic value.
“While there are valid arguments for both the legalisation and prohibition of recreational cannabis – as a medical cannabis clinic, we feel that the legalisation of recreational cannabis would normalise its usage, but could also potentially undermine its status as a valid medicine.
“So for now, ensuring each application of medicinal cannabis is overseen by a qualified healthcare professional feels like a safe and sensible way to ensure cannabis retains its therapeutic value – and makes it less likely cannabis will be misused, or abused, by those enjoying it recreationally.”
What does the future look like for Releaf over the next 12 months?
“To put it simply – we’ve got a busy 12 months ahead!
“We’re looking forward to continuing to evolve the Releaf MedTech platform and using innovative solutions to pioneer patient-centred approaches to care throughout the industry.
“We’re now in the process of curating and launching our own, branded range of medications to support our goal to achieve optimal patient health outcomes, and are partnering with additional ambassadors to help raise further awareness in the UK.
“We are committed to evolving clinical support tools that drive consistency of outcomes where conditions and patient lifestyles align to medication provision. Building on this we have created a process that measures the quality of life improvement over the time a patient is with Releaf to create data points that are patient lead that give further confidence to those seeking an alternative healthcare solution to try it and enjoy life-changing benefits that many others do around the world.
“And, we also plan to expand on our inaugural research report conducted in April 2023, titled Say No To Pain, which at the time of its release was the largest representative survey of attitudes towards medical cannabis in the UK, to further explore the potential of medical cannabis.
“But ultimately, what is most important to us over the next year is working with our fantastic community of patients, to champion and amplify their stories to a wider audience to help remove the stigma surrounding cannabis-based medicines in the UK.”
Interested in joining Releaf? Check your eligibility today: https://releaf.co.uk/
