"With COVID-19, we have both the unique opportunity and need to deregulate buprenorphine prescriptions. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAHMSA) recently updated guidelines for buprenorphine prescriptions. There are new provisions for telephonic initiation of buprenorphine and scripts up to 28 days for stable patients. Unfortunately, this does not circumvent the major issue: redeployed providers will not be able to fill scripts. With just 7 percent of providers nationally able to even prescribe buprenorphine, this is a particularly vulnerable window for care. We must instead take the current crisis as an opportunity to reform and strengthen MAT access."

Megana Dwarakanath is a pediatrician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "With COVID-19, we have a unique opportunity and need to deregulate buprenorphine prescriptions." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/05/with-covid-19-we-have-a-unique-opportunity-and-need-to-deregulate-buprenorphine-prescriptions.html)