Attorneys in Foley’s telemedicine practice, including partner Nathaniel Lacktman, were contributing authors to the American Telemedicine Association letter to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, advocating for provider-friendly changes to federal controlled substance prescribing rules. The letter urged the DEA to open a special registration process allowing psychiatrists and physicians to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine without the need for an in-person exam. The ATA letter noted that “the interpretation of the [Ryan Haight] Act’s general prohibition of prescribing controlled substances by means of the internet has become overly restrictive.”
The ATA workgroup developed recommendations for a DEA special registration process, structured with telepsychiatry particularly in mind, as many patients are experiencing shortages in mental health professionals. The letter proposed five key elements:
For more information on telemedicine, telehealth, virtual care and other health innovations, including the team, publications, and other materials, visit Foley’s Telemedicine Practice.