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Saturday, Jun 20, 2020

Did the Trump Administration relax rules so patients could continue to get necessary addiction treatments during the coronavirus shutdown?

Anna Lenaker, Gigafact Foundry
yes

Under the Trump Administration, federal agencies have increased flexibility around common treatment regimens for opioid addiction to help patients get needed therapies during the shutdown.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has permitted states to allow patients undergoing treatment for opioid use disorder to take home prescriptions in lieu of regularly visiting a treatment clinic. The Drug Enforcement Administration has allowed secure doorstep deliveries of prescribed methadone for those in quarantine. In addition, the DEA now permits doctors to prescribe across state borders and lets new patients get a prescription for buprenorphine, a treatment for opioid use disorder, over the phone without an office visit.

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