Source: American Society of Addiction Medicine
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on November 17 that nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) can begin taking the 24 hours of required training to prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder. NPs and PAs who complete the required training and seek to prescribe buprenorphine for up to 30 patients will be able to apply to do so beginning in early 2017. HHS is also announcing its intent to initiate rulemaking to allow NPs and PAs who have prescribed at the 30-patient limit for one year to apply for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for up to 100 patients. SAMHSA is working quickly with training providers to help them adapt curricula and obtain continuing education credits for this training. Updates on training information and the waiver application will be available on the SAMHSA and ASAM websites.