DEA Extends COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities For Prescribing Controlled Medications

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is temporarily extending telemedicine prescribing flexibilities for addiction treatment enacted in 2020 during the COVID-19 public health emergency. On February 24, 2023, the DEA had proposed new rules on prescribing controlled medications via telemedicine, including buprenorphine for opioid addiction treatment. By the March 23, 2023, deadline, it received nearly 38,000 comments. In a statement issued on May 3, 2023, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said the DEA is still considering the comments and needs more time to make a decision.

The COVID-19-related flexibilities allowed consumers to initiate and continue receiving addiction treatment . . .