DEA Considering New Rule for Prescribing Controlled Substances
Comments are being reviewed on a proposed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rule that would allow physicians who treat patients for chronic pain and other chronic conditions to prescribe up to a 90-day supply of Schedule II controlled substances without fear of prosecution.
The rule, which was proposed in September 2006, should be final in fall 2007.
Many medical professionals have expressed concerns to the DEA about its strict regulation that prohibits doctors from writing multiple Schedule II prescriptions and forces them to leave patients untreated.
In response, the DEA's proposed regulation expressly allows the physician to issue multiple Schedule II prescriptions during a single office visit, when medically appropriate.
The DEA also issued “Dispensing Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Pain,” which provides medical professionals with information regarding its position on this issue.
The new policy statement:
- Outlines the longstanding legal requirements on dispensing controlled substances for the treatment of pain
- Addresses the requirement that controlled substances be prescribed only for a legitimate medical purpose
- Examines the issues surrounding the treatment of pain
- Elaborates on the DEA’s policy for taking appropriate legal action against those very few physicians who illegally prescribe controlled substances
- In addition, the DEA has updated its Practitioner’s Manual to aid doctors in their responsibility to prevent the diversion and abuse of controlled substances
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Last Updated: 8/13/2008