New HHS Guidelines Expand Access To Buprenorphine

On April 28, 2021, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new practice guidelines for prescribing buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). The new guidelines are effective immediately. Under these guidelines, prescribers seeking to prescribe buprenorphine for no more than 30 consumers at a time will no longer be required to complete training hours or certify that they can provide counseling and psychosocial services. Currently to qualify for a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) waiver to treat 30 consumers at a time, prescribers must complete training hours and certify that they can provide psychosocial services. The current . . .