Telehealth prescribing extended
The DEA and HHS have extended the COVID-era telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing Schedule II–V controlled substances through December 31, 2026. The extension was described in a clinician-focused summary that highlights the rule’s application beyond testosterone therapy to other controlled medications. The temporary nature of the extension was emphasised, leaving the policy status time-limited through the end of 2026. (yoonhangkim.com)
Patients can keep getting many controlled-substance prescriptions by telehealth without a prior in-person visit through December 31, 2026. (hhs.gov) The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Drug Enforcement Administration said the fourth temporary extension took effect January 1, 2026, and preserves the pandemic-era rules for Schedule II through Schedule V drugs while permanent rules are still being written. (hhs.gov) The Health and Human Services telehealth guidance says a Drug Enforcement Administration-registered clinician may prescribe a Schedule II-V controlled substance over telemedicine without first conducting an in-person medical evaluation if the required conditions are met. (telehealth.hhs.gov) That matters because the baseline federal rule is older and tighter: the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 generally requires an in-person medical evaluation before a controlled-substance prescription, unless a telemedicine exception applies. (federalregister.gov) Federal officials framed the extension as a way to avoid an abrupt return to pre-pandemic restrictions. Health and Human Services said more than 7 million prescriptions for controlled medications were issued by telemedicine without a prior in-person visit in 2024. (hhs.gov) The agencies also tied the move to access problems outside major health systems. Health and Human Services said the extension is meant to prevent disruptions for seniors, rural patients, people with disabilities, and patients receiving treatment for mental health conditions or substance use disorder. (hhs.gov) The flexibilities are broad enough to reach far beyond one drug class. The Drug Enforcement Administration said the temporary rules allow remote prescribing of Schedule II-V medications by audio-video telemedicine, and allow certain Schedule III-V narcotic medications approved for opioid use disorder treatment to be prescribed through audio-only visits. (dea.gov) The extension does not wipe away the rest of the rulebook. Health and Human Services said prescriptions still must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by a licensed practitioner and must comply with federal and state law. (hhs.gov) The long-term replacement is still unsettled. In January 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration published a proposed rule for a “special registration” system that would let some clinicians prescribe controlled substances by telemedicine under new recordkeeping, reporting, and safety requirements. (federalregister.gov) As of this week, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s telemedicine page still says updated regulations are being drafted. Until that permanent rule arrives, the temporary extension keeps the current prescribing pathway in place through the end of 2026. (deadiversion.usdoj.gov)
