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DEA Extends COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescribing Controlled Medications

DEA Extends COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescribing Controlled Medications

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

The ability to prescribe controlled substances based on telehealth patient visits was set to expire with the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency May 11th. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) initially issued two proposed rules establishing new policies for controlled substance prescriptions based on telehealth visits, one for buprenorphine and one for other controlled substances. After receiving more than 38,000 comment letters, the DEA, jointly with SAMSHA, issued a press release on May 9th announcing they have decided to extend the same policies that have been in place during COVID for an additional 6 months, until November 11, 2023.  This extension provides additional time to review public comments while avoiding lapses in care for patients.

 

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