German Cannabis Association reports
Preliminary injunction against Dr. Ansay over unlawful cannabis advertising
2025-12-18 | According to a report by Tagesspiegel, the Hamburg Regional Court has issued a preliminary injunction against the Malta-based telemedicine platform Dr. Ansay Ltd. Cannabis distributor
Remexian Pharma GmbH had sued the platform, alleging that its marketplace-like structures and unlawful advertising for prescription-only medicines violated the German Act on Advertising in the Healthcare System. The document reportedly lists nine specific cases, including the promotion of cannabis flowers, diabetes medications, and certificates of incapacity for work via online questionnaires.
Stefan Adomeit, co-managing director of Remexian Pharma, said the company wanted to set an “exclamation mark” against providers that disregard legal rules. The court supported the view that presenting medicines within a sales process suggests they can be obtained “like online shopping without further involvement.”
Niels Lutzhöft, legal counsel for the applicant, pointed out that advertising to the general public outside of medical professional circles is prohibited for such products. Since the platform is based in Malta, service of the injunction is proving difficult, which is why the court ordered public service by posting. F
rancesco Baganz, also managing director at Remexian Pharma, called for a legal obligation requiring telemedicine providers to appoint domestic agents for service. Can Ansay, operator of the platform, considers the injunction legally unjustified and announced that he will lodge legal remedies once proper service has been effected. He also argued that the expedited proceedings lacked the required urgency, as the facts had been known for some time.
Susanne Punsmann from the Consumer Advice Center of North Rhine-Westphalia noted that similar practices are also common on other platforms such as DoktorABC. The legal situation regarding online prescriptions without direct video or telephone contact remains partly unclear until a ruling by the highest court. Nevertheless, there are already several non-final rulings by German courts stating that a questionnaire alone is insufficient for prescribing potentially abuse-prone medicines. The current decision is being viewed as a relevant contribution to the debate on a possible ban on remote prescribing and mail-order supply within the scope of the ongoing legislative initiatives.
