The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) said in a notice that was posted on August 4, that it is open to creating a special registration process that would allow providers to prescribe certain controlled substances for patients without requiring the patient to ever have an in-person medical evaluation. The agency will hold a listening session next month to allow the public to weigh in on the issue. Stakeholder groups and lawmakers have been pressing the DEA to change its policy, given the shortage of mental health providers and the increased need for access to prescribers through telehealth.
