Drug Enforcement Administration Extends Telehealth Flexibilities for Controlled Substance Prescriptions

On May 10, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a rule that extends the rules allowing telehealth prescription of controlled substances. Prior to the announced policy, the ability to prescribe controlled substances based on telehealth patient visits was set to expire when the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended on Thursday, May 11.

Previously, the DEA had issued two proposed rules establishing new policies for controlled substance prescriptions based on telehealth visits: one for buprenorphine and one for other controlled substances. After receiving more than 38,000 comment letters, however, the DEA chose to extend the same policies that had been in place during the pandemic for an additional 6 months, until November 11, 2023.

To read the DEA announcement see here: DEA Statement