DEA's commitment to expanding access to medication-assisted treatment

WASHINGTON – Administrator Anne Milgram announced the Drug Enforcement Administration’s continued commitment to expanding access to medication-assisted treatment to help those suffering from substance use disorder, Wednesday, March 23.

“In this moment, when the United States is suffering tens of thousands of opioid-related overdose deaths every year, the DEA’s top priority is doing everything in our power to save lives,” said Administrator Milgram. “Medication-assisted treatment helps those who are fighting to overcome substance use disorder by sustaining recovery and preventing overdoses. At DEA, our goal is simple: we want medication-assisted treatment to be readily and safely available to anyone in the country who needs it.”

Recently, DEA, in collaboration with federal, state and local partners, has been championing several initiatives to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for those suffering from opioid-related substance use disorder.

Beginning in March 2022, practitioners working in hospitals, clinics, and emergency rooms will be able to request an exception allowing them to dispense a three-day supply of medication-assisted treatments, including buprenorphine and methadone, to treat patients experiencing acute opioid withdrawal symptoms.

DEA, in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, is engaging in regular outreach with pharmacists and practitioners to express support for the use of medication-assisted treatment for those suffering from substance use disorder.

In July 2021, DEA implemented a new regulation increasing the number of mobile methadone treatment facilities to expand access to treatment in remote and underserved communities.

In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA implemented temporary regulations allowing medication-assisted treatment to be prescribed by telemedicine. DEA is working to make those regulations permanent.

DEA is committed to continuing to work with our federal, state, and local partners to find more ways to expand access to medication-assisted treatment. DEA hopes that these efforts will help people across the country gain access to these lifesaving medicines.

For more information, visit DEA’s Division Control Division website at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov.

Submitted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.