💊Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Regulations
In the January 17, 2025, issue of the Federal Register, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services published two final rules related to the practice of telemedicine, titled "Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter" and "Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients." These final rules were originally scheduled to become final on February 18, 2025. In accordance with the Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025, titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review," the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services delayed the effective dates of these two final rules to March 21, 2025, by issuing a final rule; delay of effective dates and request for comments in the February 19, 2025, issue of the Federal Register. The Drug Enforcement Administration received 32 comments in response to the request for public comments regarding the delayed effective date. Considering these comments, the Department of Justice wishes to further postpone the effective dates for the purpose of further reviewing any questions of fact, law, and policy that the rules may raise. Therefore, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services will delay the effective date of the two final rules titled "Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter" and "Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients" to December 31, 2025.
Learn More💊Telemedicine Regulation for Buprenorphine Treatment Updated
In the January 17, 2025, issue of the Federal Register, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services published two final rules related to the practice of telemedicine, titled "Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter" and "Continuity of Care via Telemedicine for Veterans Affairs Patients." These final rules were scheduled to become final on February 18, 2025. In accordance with the Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025, titled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review," the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services are delaying the effective dates of these two final rules to March 21, 2025, and are soliciting public comments specifically regarding this delayed effective date.
Learn More💊New Telemedicine Rules for Buprenorphine Prescribing
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services are amending their regulations to expand the circumstances under which practitioners registered by the Drug Enforcement Administration are authorized to prescribe schedule III-V controlled substances approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid use disorder via a telemedicine encounter, including an audio-only telemedicine encounter. Under these new regulations, after a practitioner reviews the patient's prescription drug monitoring program data for the state in which the patient is located during the telemedicine encounter, the practitioner may prescribe an initial six-month supply of such medications (split amongst several prescriptions totaling six calendar months) through audio-only means. Additional prescriptions can be issued under other forms of telemedicine as authorized under the Controlled Substances Act, or after an in-person medical evaluation is conducted. This regulation also requires the pharmacist to verify the identity of the patient prior to filling a prescription. The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 generally requires an in- person medical evaluation prior to issuance of a controlled substance prescription. However, this regulation falls under one of the exceptions found within the Ryan Haight Act. Additionally, this regulation does not affect practitioner-patient relationships in cases where an in-person medical evaluation has previously occurred. The purpose of this regulation is to prevent lapses of care by continuing some of the telemedicine flexibilities that currently exist for those patients seeking treatment for opioid use disorder.
Learn More🩺New VA Regulations on Telemedicine Prescriptions for Controlled Substances
This final rule authorizes Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) practitioners acting within the scope of their VA employment to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine to a VA patient with whom they have not conducted an in-person medical evaluation. VA practitioners are permitted to prescribe controlled substances to VA patients if another VA practitioner has, at any time, previously conducted an in-person medical evaluation of the VA patient, subject to certain conditions.
Learn More💊New DEA Regulations on Telemedicine and Special Registration
The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 (the "Ryan Haight Act") generally requires an in-person medical evaluation prior to the issuance of a prescription of controlled substances but provides an exception to this in-person medical evaluation requirement where the practitioner is engaged in the "practice of telemedicine" within the meaning of the Ryan Haight Act. These proposed regulatory changes would establish a Special Registration framework and authorize three types of Special Registration. This proposed rulemaking also provides for heightened prescription, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. DEA believes such changes are necessary to effectively expand patient access to controlled substance medications via telemedicine while mitigating the risks of diversion associated with such expansion. A summary of this rule may be found at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/DEA-2023-0029.
Learn More💰Funding Opportunity for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program for fiscal year (FY) 2025, subject to the availability of funding. This notice is being issued prior to passage of a FY 2025 Appropriations Act in order to allow applicants sufficient time to leverage financing, prepare and submit their applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within FY 2025. Based on FY 2024 appropriated funding, the Agency estimates that approximately $40 million will be available for FY 2025. Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding and subsequently awarded to the extent that funding may ultimately be made available through appropriations. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications.
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