Nathaniel Lacktman on DEA Telehealth Proposal – ‘It may be time for Congress to step in and take the reins’
Foley & Lardner LLP partner Nathaniel Lacktman, chair of the firm’s national Telemedicine & Digital Health Industry Team and member of the American Telemedicine Association Board of Directors, commented in the Politico Pro article, “‘Arcane’: Lawmakers, addiction treatment advocates hammer new DEA telehealth proposal,” on the widespread criticism from political leaders, mental health experts, and opioid use disorder advocates on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) draft proposal that would significantly limit the prescribing of controlled substances via telemedicine.
One major point of contention within the DEA’s draft proposal is the restriction that no more than half a provider’s prescription could be given virtually.
“We have reached a point where stakeholders and lawmakers have a consensus that perhaps this is not the right agency to promulgate this regulation,” said Lacktman, of the DEA. “It may be in patients’ and clinicians’ best interest for federal lawmakers to step in and take the reins.”
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Foley’s Telemedicine and Digital Health Industry Team helps organizations and entrepreneurs embrace emerging issues in virtual care, enabling them to provide innovative care for patients in new markets around the block and around the world. Nationally recognized by Chambers USA, where clients have called Foley “the premier firm for telehealth counsel,” “a market leader in telemedicine issues,” and “the Dream Team,” Foley’s Telemedicine and Digital Health Industry Team members are frequently recognized for their unparalleled insight and knowledge of the industry.
