Special Telemedicine Controlled Substance Registration to be Required
Monday, January 21st, 2019
The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (the SUPPORT Act) was signed into law at the end of October 2018. Amongst many other items, the SUPPORT Act directs the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (the DEA) to establish a registration for practitioners who prescribe controlled substances to patients as the result of telemedicine encounters. This registration must be established by the DEA within one year of the effective date of the SUPPORT Act (i.e. by October 24, 2019). Prior to the creation of this registration, federal law only permitted practitioners to prescribe controlled substances if they conducted an in-person examination of the patient or met a specific exception under the law. Of course, state law plays an important role in evaluating the permissibility of prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine encounters, but prescribers should be aware that a new federal registration will also be required within the next year.
You can reach the Healthcare team at Brown & Fortunato at 806-345-6300.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or establish an attorney-client relationship. This article was prepared on a specific date, and the law may have changed since it was written. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to your specific legal issue and needs.