ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and the Georgia Medical Cannabis Card

“Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)”

Proof of a qualifying diagnosis is required. Certification is a clinical decision by the physician, and no outcome is promised. Certification is not a prescription.

Neurology or ALS clinic notes, EMG and nerve conduction reports, and any multidisciplinary clinic summary.

• ALS is diagnosed by a neurologist, usually at an ALS clinic or a neuromuscular subspecialty practice, and the diagnostic record is built from clinical examination plus electrodiagnostic testing. The notes that establish the diagnosis most often come from an EMG and nerve conduction study showing denervation across multiple regions, alongside MRI of the brain and cervical spine used to rule out other causes.
• The single most useful document is a neurology consultation or follow-up note that names amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neuron disease as the working or confirmed diagnosis. Multidisciplinary ALS clinic summaries, which combine neurology, pulmonary and therapy notes into one document, are also strong evidence because they carry the diagnosis and the treating team in a single record.

The process is the same for every qualifying diagnosis: you book and pay on the telehealth platform, complete your intake forms, and upload your diagnosis documentation and identification. Once that is complete your appointment is confirmed. You join by video, Dr. Shri Parimi verifies your identification and reviews your documentation and history with you, and makes a clinical decision. After a successful visit the State of Georgia emails you, you pay the state fee, and the card is mailed to you. See the six steps in detail or review the two separate fees.

Many patients do not have their documentation in hand, and that is workable. You can ask Dr. Shri Parimi to request records from your treating physician with your written permission, or bring what you already have — a discharge summary, a portal printout, a laboratory result — and discuss the rest at the visit. Proof of a qualifying diagnosis is required before any certification can be made, so the earlier you start gathering records, the smoother the visit.

• Alzheimer's Disease
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Cancer
• Epidermolysis Bullosa
• Hospice Care
• HIV, Stage III

See all 18 qualifying conditions