Unlike any other medication treatment, prescribing medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) or buprenorphine, requires a special federal waiver and training and is subject to limitations. This extra layer of bureaucracy does not apply to more dangerous controlled substances and unnecessarily limits access to MOUD.
The 2022 federal government omnibus spending package included the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, which removed the waiver. The medication and its prescription is still highly regulated as it is a controlled substance, but removing this onerous layer will expand access to care.
Faegre Drinker advised the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy in advocating for the inclusion of the MAT Act in the omnibus.
