February 27, 2023
D.C. News | Tea Leaves
  • The federal government is moving to require doctors to evaluate patients in person before writing prescriptions for some controlled medications, such as Adderall and OxyContin. The Drug Enforcement Administration announced Friday that it is seeking to revert rule changes under the COVID-19 public health emergency that allowed doctors to prescribe powerful drugs via telehealth appointments. Though the Biden administration is planning to extend telehealth flexibilities for common, non-controlled medications, it will ban doctors from prescribing schedule II medications and narcotics without an in-person appointment. The move comes as the opioid crisis rages on and overdoses from controlled medications such as fentanyl continue to ravage communities. (Article here)