The White House recently announced that it would reverse a telehealth policy implemented during the coronavirus pandemic. Patients will now need to be evaluated in person by a physician before receiving prescriptions for some controlled drugs.
Fox News reports that these controlled substances include Adderall and OxyContin, used to treat pain and mental health disorders. The proposal will make it even harder for Americans to obtain these medications via telehealth consultations.
Telehealth Policies Reversed
The Biden administration declared in late January that the COVID-19 public health emergency (and national emergency) would end on May 11, 2023.
The announcement did not affect any significant COVID-19-related health policies at the time. It was also announced that flexibilities associated with providing health care via telehealth during the public health emergency would end.
Last Friday, Feb. 24, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released its latest proposed rules, which state that telehealth flexibilities will be extended for common, non-controlled medications. Schedule II medications and narcotics will be prohibited without an in-person appointment.
Vicodin, OxyContin, Adderall, and Ritalin, which the federal government deems to have the highest potential for abuse, can only be prescribed after at least one in-person consultation. However, refills may continue to be prescribed for these medications via telehealth appointments.
For 30 days, doctors can prescribe controlled medications such as Ambien and Xanax and medicines used to treat opioid addiction. Any refills for these medications will necessitate an in-person evaluation.
The DEA clarifies that the regulations do not apply to telemedicine consultations that do not involve prescription controlled drugs. It will also continue to expand access to buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder.
Preventing Overprescription of Controlled Drugs
"The permanent expansion of telemedicine flexibilities would continue greater access to care for patients across the country while ensuring the safety of patients," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in a statement.
"DEA is committed to the expansion of telemedicine with guardrails that prevent the online overprescribing of controlled medications that can cause harm," Milgram added.
In 2020, when the pandemic struck its height, the Trump administration made it easier for people to use telemedicine. This included making it possible to prescribe controlled substances remotely.
These modifications to the regulations, which have continued under President Biden, have made all kinds of medical care easier to get and cheaper. However, some experts say that the lax rules have led to a rise in drug abuse.
According to Centers for Disease Control data, 106,699 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2021. In the meantime, the death rate from drug overdoses involving synthetic opioids other than methadone rose by 22%.
Several states have already taken steps to reinstate telehealth care restrictions. As of October, nearly 40 states and the District of Columbia had lifted pandemic emergency declarations, making it easier for doctors to see patients in other states.
The proposed regulations respond to the recent emergence of telehealth industry startups that treat and prescribe medications for mental health or attention deficit disorders. The industry and those with limited access to in-person care have significantly benefited from the policy implemented during the pandemic era.
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