The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released new guidelines easing restrictions on practitioners who prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid addiction. 

“While we applaud this important step in making medication-assisted treatment, and buprenorphine specifically, more accessible to people who are seeking treatment for opioid addiction, there is much more to be done. The federal limits placed on buprenorphine prescribing, which don’t exist for any other medication, continue to create stigma and unnecessary barriers to effective addiction treatment. Our country has seen a tragic increase in relapse and overdose deaths in the past year and more aggressive action needs to be taken to help save lives now and after the pandemic,” said Sue Sommer, President and CEO of Cordant Health Solutions.

Learn more about new guidelines here.