On December 29, 2022, Congress eliminated the DEA “X” waiver registration requirement for practitioners as part of sections 1262-1263 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. The “X” waiver has historically been required in order for a practitioner registrant to prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). While the “X” waiver has been eliminated, the new legislation signed into law requires prescribing registrants to receive no fewer than eight hours of training on the treatment and management of patients with OUD. These training requirements will go into effect on June 21, 2023. In the coming months, the DEA and SAMHSA are expected to publish guidance regarding compliance with these new training requirements for prescriber registrants.
On January 24, 2023, the White House, lawmakers, and federal agencies specifically called for providers to begin incorporating treatment with buprenorphine into everyday patient care of patients with OUD.