Terms & Conditions

1. Acceptance of these Terms

By accessing or using this platform/service, submitting any form, making payment, and/or communicating with us, you agree to these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree, please do not use the service.

2. Definitions

"We" / "Us" / "Our"

The Service Providers and/or their healthcare practitioners and staff.

"You" / "Patient"

The person requesting services, or a lawful guardian acting on behalf of a minor/dependant where permitted.

"Services"

Online clinical intake, remote clinical assessment, prescription renewal requests, virtual consultations, and issuing sick notes only when clinically indicated, plus related administration and communications.

"Telehealth"

Remote healthcare services delivered via telephone, messaging, video, and/or electronic platforms.

3. Nature and Scope of the Services

This is a remote service and therefore has limitations. We may be unable to safely diagnose, treat, or certify fitness for work without an in-person examination.

The service is not suitable for medical emergencies or rapidly worsening symptoms, including:

• Severe or escalating pain
• Chest pain or shortness of breath
• Stroke symptoms or collapse
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviour

Emergency instruction: If you think you may be experiencing an emergency, call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency facility immediately. Do not rely on this platform for emergency care.

4. Eligibility and Identity

You confirm you are at least 18 years old, or you are using the service as a parent/legal guardian for a minor/dependant where lawful and clinically appropriate.

We may request proof of identity (for example ID number, photo ID, or date of birth) and may refuse service if we cannot reasonably verify your identity.

5. Clinical Information, Truthfulness, and Patient Responsibility

You agree to provide complete, honest, and accurate information including symptoms, duration, medication list, allergies, past medical history, pregnancy/breastfeeding status, substance use, and relevant measurements or results.

Clinical decisions depend on your disclosures. If you provide false, misleading, incomplete, or outdated information you accept responsibility for any consequences arising from that dishonesty or omission.

Please answer follow-up questions promptly when requested. If we cannot obtain adequate information, we may decline to proceed.

6. No Guarantee of Outcome

We do not guarantee any diagnosis, cure, recovery time, or specific outcome. If your symptoms do not improve, worsen, recur, or you develop new symptoms, you must seek an in-person medical assessment from your usual doctor or an appropriate healthcare facility as soon as possible.

7. Prescriptions (Renewals and New Prescriptions)

Prescriptions are issued only if clinically appropriate and lawful, at the sole professional discretion of the treating practitioner. We may refuse to prescribe (including repeats) where the information is inadequate or inconsistent, there is concern for misuse or unsafe use, an in-person examination is required, or the requested medicine is inappropriate, contraindicated, or unlawful to prescribe via this channel.

Where issued, prescriptions will be transmitted directly to your chosen pharmacy (or another lawful dispensing channel we support), not sent to you for onward delivery unless we specify otherwise.

You consent to us contacting the pharmacy to facilitate dispensing, confirm stock, request substitution options, or resolve administrative issues where needed. You acknowledge that pharmacies may have their own verification procedures and may contact you and/or us for authentication.

8. Sick Notes (Medical Certificates)

Sick notes are issued only when clinically indicated and ethically appropriate, and only for the period supported by the available clinical information. We may refuse a sick note if the presentation does not justify absence from work/school, the information is insufficient or inconsistent, or an in-person examination is required to certify incapacity.

You acknowledge that employers, insurers, or schools may verify certificates and may reject them based on their policies. Any attempt to obtain a sick note fraudulently may result in refusal of service, cancellation, reporting where required, and/or other lawful action.

9. Communication, Consent, and Contact Methods

You consent to be contacted via cellphone, phone call, SMS, email, WhatsApp, or any other electronic channel you provide for clinical follow-ups, clarifications, and administration. Messaging platforms carry privacy risks; we will take reasonable steps to protect confidentiality, but no electronic transmission is completely secure.

You must ensure your contact details are correct and that you have access to them. We are not responsible for failed delivery due to incorrect details, network issues, spam filtering, device settings, or third-party outages.

10. Clinical Triage, Rejection, and Ethical Refusal

We reserve the right to decline, pause, or stop the service at any time if we believe we cannot safely or ethically assist you remotely, or if there are legal or ethical constraints. If we decline because we cannot help you through this channel, we will advise you to seek in-person care.

11. Fees, Payment, Rejection, and Refunds

Fees are displayed on the platform and may change from time to time. When you pay, you are paying for professional time, administrative processing, and clinical assessment capacity—not a guaranteed prescription or sick note.

Refund on ethical rejection. If we reject your request because we cannot ethically or safely assist you through this service, we may refund you in full or in part at our discretion, subject to payment provider rules and reasonable administrative costs (where lawful).

No refund for dishonesty or abuse. If we refuse service owing to suspected dishonesty, misuse, abusive conduct, or repeated non-cooperation, we may decline a refund where permitted by law.

By submitting your request and selecting "I agree", you request performance to begin immediately (triage and clinical review may start right away). Where the law allows, you acknowledge this may limit cancellation rights once performance has started. Refunds (if granted) will be processed to the original payment method within a reasonable time, subject to banking or payment processor timelines.

12. Follow-Up, Continuity, and Limited Relationship

A practitioner-patient relationship may be formed for the limited purpose of the Services provided. This service is not intended to replace your usual GP or specialist, and you are encouraged to maintain an ongoing relationship with a primary care provider for continuity of care. We may recommend in-person follow-up, investigations, or referral at any time.

13. Records and Audit Trail

We will keep appropriate clinical records and copies of relevant documents in accordance with professional obligations and applicable law.

14. Privacy, POPIA, and Confidentiality

We process your personal information, including special personal information (health data), for purposes of providing healthcare services, clinical record keeping, billing, legal compliance, and quality assurance.

You consent to us sharing relevant information with your chosen pharmacy for dispensing and verification, and with other treating providers where necessary and lawful. We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, but no system is 100% secure.

15. User Conduct

You agree not to impersonate someone else, submit fraudulent information, harass or threaten staff, or attempt to obtain medicines unlawfully or inappropriately. Abuse may result in immediate refusal of service and possible reporting where required.

16. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

You acknowledge that remote care may miss signs that a physical examination would detect. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for outcomes resulting from inaccurate or omitted patient information, delays caused by third parties, adverse outcomes where you failed to seek urgent or in-person care when advised, or employer/pharmacy rejection of documents where outside our control. Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited under South African law.

17. Intellectual Property

All platform content, forms, branding, and materials are owned by or licensed to us and may not be copied or reused without written permission.

18. Complaints and Contact

Complaints can be submitted to bree@medvend24.co.za. We aim to respond within five business days. If a matter remains unresolved, you may escalate it to the appropriate professional bodies or ombuds channels where applicable.

19. Amendments

We may update these Terms from time to time. The version displayed on the platform at the time of your request applies to that transaction.

20. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Courts in the province or city where the practice is registered will have jurisdiction, subject to any consumer protection laws that provide otherwise.

21. Severability

If any clause is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining clauses remain in effect.