Telehealth Leaders Urge DEA to Adopt Easier Prescribing Policies

Major telehealth providers and industry groups pushed for expanded access to controlled substance prescribing via telemedicine during a Drug Enforcement Administration listening session held Tuesday.

Telemedicine executives, medical groups, doctors, and researchers proposed new frameworks to the DEA that would allow telehealth prescribing without an in-person visit while implementing guardrails to prevent the illegal distribution or abuse of controlled substances like ketamine, buprenorphine, and oxycodone.

The DEA released proposed rules in March that would limit the initial prescription of controlled substances used to treat psychiatric diseases, hormonal issues, and other conditions via telemedicine to a 30-day supply and require an ...