DEA’s Diversion Control Division is pleased to post this joint letter from DEA and HHS supporting the expansion of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). DEA and HHS support the expansion of MOUD especially in rural or underserved areas.

DEA is asking its registrants to ensure an adequate and uninterrupted supply of MOUD products when appropriately prescribed and asks distributors to examine any quantitative thresholds they established to ensure that individuals with OUD are able to access buprenorphine.

Expanding access to MOUD is one more way to assist patients with OUD during the Opioid Public Health Emergency.

Summary of Content in Letter:

The letter from the DEA highlights the critical issue of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, where only 18.3% of the 6.1 million affected individuals received medication-assisted treatment in 2022. It discusses the removal of the “x-waiver” from the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 in December 2022, which has significantly increased the number of medical professionals able to prescribe buprenorphine, enhancing access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), especially in rural or underserved areas. The DEA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) support the increased availability of MOUD products like buprenorphine combination products and encourage collaboration to ensure an adequate and uninterrupted supply. They also emphasize the importance of distributors examining their quantitative thresholds to ensure those in need can access buprenorphine without delay. The letter concludes with a call to action to save lives by improving access to this life-saving medication and to join the effort in combating the opioid crisis.