5SWAN

About 5SWAN

5SWAN is a German telemedicine platform focused on treatment with prescription medical cannabis for people with chronic conditions. The team’s mission is to redefine health with tailored cannabis based treatment plans via video consultations across Germany. The site highlights core values: empathy and patient centricity, expertise and innovation, trust and transparency, individual care, ethics and sustainability, and collaboration. According to their published data, 5SWAN has treated more than 2 500 patients, across 56 conditions, with over 10 000 hours of online consultations and more than 20 000 prescriptions.

Clinical approach

5SWAN works with German licensed doctors who use cannabis flowers and extracts containing THC, CBD and other cannabinoids as a therapeutic option when standard treatments are insufficient. The focus is on chronic complaints (longer than three months), not acute issues. Listed indication areas include chronic pain, neurological conditions (for example MS, Parkinson’s, Tourette’s, migraine, ADHD), psychiatric conditions (depression, PTSD, OCD, stress, sleep disorders), inflammatory diseases (fibromyalgia, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s) and symptom relief in palliative care and other difficult cases. Medication is usually taken via medically certified vaporisers or orally as capsules or drops.

Safety and governance

Treatment with medical cannabis is legal in Germany since 2017 and may only be prescribed by doctors. 5SWAN states that product and dose must be clearly defined and treatment reviewed regularly. Therapy starts with low doses that are adjusted over time. The site lists possible side effects (for example dry mucous membranes, nausea, diarrhoea, low blood pressure) and notes that serious side effects are very rare under medical supervision. Patients should stop the product and contact the doctor if unwanted effects occur. Data handling follows German privacy rules, and the site underlines that insurance funds and authorities are not informed about therapy at 5SWAN.

Care pathway

The process is fully online: registration on the website, digital treatment contract, short questionnaire, then a first video consultation of about 25 minutes. The doctor decides whether cannabis therapy is appropriate and, if so, creates an individual plan and issues a private prescription (usually for up to 30 days). The prescription is sent electronically to a pharmacy chosen by the patient; the medicine is then collected or delivered. Ongoing therapy continues via regular video consultations and follow up prescriptions, with adjustments to medication as needed.

Costs and access

All services are private and paid by patients. According to the costs page, the first consultation is 25 euros (including prescription if indicated), the second consultation 65 euros, and each follow up prescription 25 euros if therapy remains unchanged. Medicine prices in pharmacies typically range roughly between 4 and 20 euros per gram, depending on product and brand. Statutory health insurance generally does not reimburse treatment at 5SWAN because the doctors are not panel doctors; however, 5SWAN can provide a therapy summary that patients may use when applying for cost coverage with another doctor. Telemedicine allows patients throughout Germany to access cannabis experienced doctors without travelling, supported by a customer service team that works closely with the medical team.

This description was generated based on information from the official website and other materials provided by the provider.