According to the New York Times (4/5, Caron),”tighter restrictions are probably in store for controlled substances” such as medications for anxiety and for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. If the Drug Enforcement Agency approves these proposals “as currently written, patients who are receiving telehealth prescriptions for controlled medications from a” clinician “they have never seen in person will need to have at least one in-person appointment after the public health emergency ends in order to continue receiving their prescriptions.” The Times interviews psychiatrist Shabana Khan, MD, “the chairwoman of the American Psychiatric Association’s committee on telepsychiatry, to help people who take mental health medications understand the anticipated changes and how to adjust for them.” Dr. Khan advises patients to develop a plan now with a physician and schedule an appointment as soon as possible, instead of waiting until May 11 when the public health emergency is set to expire.
Related Links:
— “How to Prepare for the Proposed Changes to Telehealth Prescriptions ” Christina Caron, The New York Times , April 5, 2023