The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) issued proposed rules for prescribing controlled substances via telehealth once the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ends. View our White Paper guide to get insights into the proposed regulations and how the proposed rules will affect providers who are currently using telemedicine.
The DEA suspended the in-person exam requirement for controlled substances when the PHE went into effect in 2020. Providers were allowed to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth as long as the prescription was for legitimate medical purposes. The prescribing physician was also required to act in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. One of the proposed rules will discontinue the ability for physicians to prescribe controlled substances to patients via telemedicine if the patient has never had an in-person exam, with limited exceptions. The second rule would expand the situations in which providers can prescribe buprenorphine, which is used for pain and withdrawal management. The proposed rules will not apply to:
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