Last week the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held listening sessions on September 12 and 13 (you can view recordings of those sessions HERE) to gather more information on the proposals the agency made earlier this year on the use of telehealth to prescribe a controlled substance post-pandemic. At the start of the listening session, Administrator Anne Milgram announced that an additional written comment period will be offered. Readers may remember that the DEA had postponed making a final decision on its proposed rules and expanded pandemic waivers for an additional six months to November 11, 2023. The additional comment period may indicate that the DEA could be interested in amending their initial proposals and possibly extending pandemic waivers beyond the November 11 date. One thing missing from the proposed regulations was the creation of a provider registry which would provide another option to use telehealth to prescribe a controlled substance without a prior in-person exam. Many telehealth proponents have advocated for the creation of the registry and perhaps this time it may finally happen. Stay tuned for further developments.
Source: Center for Connected Health Policy
