The DEA recently announced the third extension of Covid-19 flexibilities for the virtual prescribing of controlled substances. Telehealth advocates applaud this move but remain hopeful for a more permanent solution in the future.
In a letter, several stakeholders urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to release a revised proposed rule on the virtual prescribing of controlled substances. This comes as Covid-19 flexibilities that allow controlled substances to be prescribed via telehealth without an in-person exam are set to expire at the end of the year.
The future looks bright for the integrated specialty pharmacy model – for health systems, providers, and most importantly, for patients.
HHS recently released a final rule that allows practitioners in Opioid Treatment Programs to start patients on methadone or buprenorphine via telehealth. However, the final rule does not apply to the broader range of providers, leading telehealth advocates to call for additional changes from the DEA.
Talkiatry, Array Behavioral Care, Iris Telehealth and Quartet Health sent a letter to the DEA asking for a special registration process that would allow for the prescribing of certain controlled medications via telemedicine.
The American Medical Association recently released its comments on the DEA’s proposed rules for controlled substance prescribing via telemedicine. Many telehealth providers are supportive of the organization's recommendations, such as its suggestion to extend the timeframe patients have to refill their buprenorphine prescription after their initial supply is prescribed via telemedicine.
The DEA recently released proposed rules that would require an in-person visit before a patient can receive a telehealth prescription for a controlled substance. The DEA touts the change as a way to ensure patient safety, but several telehealth advocates argue it will greatly disrupt access for those who need the drugs — especially at a time when the mental health and substance use crisis is growing.
Closing cancer health equity gaps require medical breakthroughs made possible by new funding approaches.
"This decision sends pharmacists a dangerous message: you're expected to overrule doctors - and not doing so can be costly."
By Delia A. Deschaine & Larry K. Houck – In just shy of three months following receipt of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”)’s rescheduling recommendation, see prior post here, DEA announced the issuance of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) Thursday to reschedule all hydrocodone combination products (“HCPs”) from schedule III to schedule […]
By Delia A. Stubbs & John A. Gilbert – DEA didn’t waste time during its Thanksgiving break. Monday, in just shy of three weeks of the close of its comment period on its proposed rule, DEA issued a final rule placing perampanel in Schedule III. We previously reported on DEA’s delay in issuing a Notice […]
By Kurt R. Karst – The number of citizen petitions pending at FDA concerning Hatch-Waxman exclusivity continues to pile up. As we previously reported (here and here), FDA has already been asked on three separate occasions in 2013 to recognize...
As technology advances, AI-powered tools will increasingly reduce the administrative burdens on healthcare providers.
By Karla L. Palmer – On Monday, November 18, 2013, DEA released the 2013 National Drug Threat Assessment Summary, which provides an assessment of the threat posed to the United States by trafficking and abuse of illicit substances and non-medical...