US agency to reverse Covid-19 policy for frequently abused prescription drugs

The US Drug Enforcement Administration has proposed rules that would again require patients to visit doctors in-person to obtain prescriptions for certain medications that are frequently abused.

The announcement seeks to reverse policy changes made during the Covid-19 pandemic which allowed doctors to prescribe controlled drugs such as Adderall and OxyContin through virtual tele-health appointments.

The proposed rules are on track to affect thousands of Americans who have relied on tele-health services throughout the pandemic in order to more easily access their medications. But they do not affect tele-health appointments which do not require doctors to prescribe controlled medications.

They also do not affect consultations by doctors who have previously conducted an in-person medical examination of a patient.

The proposed rules would also allow doctors to prescribe a 30-day supply of buprenorphine through tele-health appointments to treat opioid use disorder.

The DEA plans to implement the proposed rules prior to the expiration of the federal Covid-19 public health emergency declaration on 11 May.

Despite the convenience of tele-health services, some critics argue that their expansion has allowed for certain companies to take advantage of the flexibility and in turn prescribe unnecessary medications.