Telemedicine special registrations for controlled substances

Telemedicine special registrations for controlled substances
JAMA Health Forum; by Jacob T. Kannarkat, John Torous, Joseph T. Kannarkat; 7/25
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the requirement for in-person evaluation of patients prior to the prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth, as established by the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act (Ryan Haight Act), has remained provisionally held. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) previously proposed rulemaking to reintroduce the in-person patient evaluation requirement, as some unscrupulous clinicians and companies took advantage of this deregulated environment to overprescribe controlled substances. However, these flexibilities were extended through December 31, 2025, after the public voiced concerns over possible care disruptions in a landscape increasingly dependent on telehealth. Now, the DEA aims to compromise on prescribing flexibility with more practical enforcement measures.