Southern West Virginia News

Yesterday, Congresswoman Carol Miller and Congresswoman Annie Kuster led a bipartisan effort urging the Biden Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to maintain telehealth flexibilities for buprenorphine products used in treating opioid use disorder (OUD). The lawmakers addressed their concerns in a letter to key figures, including Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.

The initiative was supported by nearly two dozen representatives from both parties. The group includes Representatives Lori Trahan, Paul Tonko, Claudia Tenney, Brian Fitzpatrick, David Trone, Brittany Pettersen, Dwight Evans, Michael Turner, Marc Molinaro, Mike Carey, Jay Obernolte, Brad Schneider, Madeleine Dean, Bill Keating, Becca Balint, Seth Moulton Chris Pappas Anthony D’Esposito Sean Casten Hillary Scholten Eleanor Holmes Norton and Bill Foster.

The lawmakers highlighted the benefits of telehealth flexibilities introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures allowed for remote initiation of buprenorphine treatment via audio-video or audio-only telehealth sessions. They noted that this approach has significantly improved access to treatment for vulnerable Americans with OUD and contributed to reducing overdose rates.

However, these flexibilities are set to expire in December 2024. The DEA's forthcoming rule reportedly includes new requirements that could limit access to buprenorphine by imposing in-person visitation and special registration mandates for telehealth prescribing.

The legislators emphasized that "our national public health response to the opioid epidemic has finally paid off: fewer people died from opioid overdoses over the 12-month period ending in April 2024." They urged against restricting access to critical medical interventions like buprenorphine at this time.

They also argued that Congress has provided the DEA with sufficient authority under specific U.S.C. codes to extend current telehealth practices without additional visitation requirements. They pointed out that buprenorphine is safer than full-opioid agonists and stressed the need for maximum accessibility given the ongoing threat posed by illicit opioids.

In conclusion they called on officials "to ensurepeople with OUD do not lose access" to essential medications through unnecessary regulatory barriers.