DEA Temporarily Extends Telehealth Prescribing Flexibility of Controlled Substances for One More Year

November 26, 2024

A COVID-19 pandemic-era policy that allows physicians to prescribe controlled substances in a telehealth visit has been extended for one more year through Dec. 31, 2025. The new rule was published in the Federal Register last week.

Although the rule was set to expire at the end of 2024, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has again extended the temporary policy for telehealth prescribing of controlled substances, including those used to treat opioid use disorder.

In 2023, the DEA initially sought to require patients to visit a physician or clinic within 30 days of receiving a prescription for a controlled substance. The proposed rule received public outcry, including from harm reduction experts who predicted that it would disrupt access to buprenorphine. That resulted in the first temporary extension of the telehealth prescribing flexibility that was scheduled to expire next month.

The extension, now running through the end of 2025, is a win for physicians and patients. It ensures that patient care is not interrupted, and it gives healthcare prescribers time to adjust to future regulations.

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