The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have finalized a rule expanding the ability for practitioners to prescribe certain controlled substances for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment through telemedicine, including audio-only calls. Under these new rules, practitioners can prescribe a six-month supply of these medications after reviewing the patient's prescription drug monitoring program data, with the possibility of extending prescriptions through telemedicine or after a face-to-face evaluation. Additional safeguards include identity verification by pharmacists before filling prescriptions to prevent misuse. The rule aims to continue the telemedicine flexibilities introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic while addressing the opioid crisis and concerns about substance misuse.
Simple Explanation
The government has made a new rule so doctors can help people with medicine for feeling better from bad drugs over the phone. They also made sure people picking up these medicines from the pharmacy show who they are to stop any bad stuff from happening.