The Department of Health and Human Services Tuesday issued new exemptions aimed at expanding access to a take-at-home treatment for opioid use disorder.
The new guidelines say health practitioners who are licensed and possess a valid registration from the Drug Enforcement Administration can prescribe buprenorphine without certification in training, counseling, and other ancillary services like psychosocial sessions.
The goal of the guidelines is to help the nation address a surge in the opioid crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over 90,000 people died from an overdose during the 12-month period the ended in September 2020, the highest ever recorded, ...