Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act
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| Long title | To expand the take-home prescribing of methadone through pharmacies. |
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| Announced in | the 118th United States Congress |
| Number of co-sponsors | 5 |
| Legislative history | |
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The Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act is a proposed United States congressional bill introduced in the 118th United States Congress. Introduced in response to the national opioid epidemic, the legislation would expand access to methadone, an approved medication for treating opioid use disorder (OUD).[1]
The bill would give pharmacies the ability to provide methadone to patients with OUD, which can currently only be accessed at methadone clinics. Additionally, the bill would allow approved healthcare providers to prescribe take-home doses for OUD patients.[2][3]
Federal law prohibit physicians from directly prescribing methadone for patients with opioid use disorder, and prevent pharmacies from dispensing the medication.
Classified as a schedule II substance, OUD patients are only permitted to access the medication at opioid treatment facilities (OTPs), known as methadone clinics.[4] Patients are generally required to visit clinics in-person to receive daily doses of methadone, and are usually prevented from receiving "take-home" doses.[5]
Critics of these regulations note that while pharmacies are prohibited from dispensing methadone, they are permitted to dispense the same medication for pain.[6] However, opponents of relaxing regulations on methadone treatment for OUD argue that expanding access could lead to misuse of methadone.[7][8]
Rules were enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to increase OUD patients' ability to receive take-home doses of methadone.[9][8] In 2022, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) proposed to make expanded access permanent.[10]