New DEA Requirements for Prescribers of Controlled Substances

The DEA has announced a new one-time, eight-hour training requirement for all DEA-registered practitioners on the treatment and management of patients with opioid/substance use disorder. This new requirement will go into effect with all DEA registrations or renewals occurring on or after June 27, 2023.

Beginning on June 27, 2023, physicians will be required to attest on their registration/renewal form that they have completed the required training.

Exceptions to the DEA requirement include:

1. Physicians who are board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry.

2. Physicians who graduated from a medical (allopathic or osteopathic) school in the U.S. within 5 years

    of June 27, 2023, and completed a curriculum of at least 8 hours on treating and managing patients

    with opioid/substance use disorder.

Physicians, who are not exempt, can satisfy this requirement in one of the following ways:

1. Obtain a cumulative total of 8 hours of training. This does not have to occur in one session and can

     be done across multiple sessions/courses that equal 8 hours.

2. Past training on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use

    disorders totaling 8 hours will count towards this requirement.

3. Previous DATA-Waived training will count towards this requirement

The following is a link to the DEA announcement: https://deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/docs/MATE_Training_Letter_Final.pdf

The Medical Association Offers Opportunities to Meet the New Requirements

The Medical Association offers educational opportunities to meet the new DEA requirement thru two upcoming in-person prescribing conferences, and multiple online prescribing courses that total 8 hours of required training.

In-Person Conferences – The Association will offer two prescribing conferences later this year (August and November) that will meet the new DEA requirement. Information regarding these conferences can be found at the following link: alamedical.org/prescribing

Online Courses – The Association has 7 online prescribing courses (identified below) available that meet the 8 hours needed for the new DEA requirement. Information regarding these online courses can be found at the following link: https://alamedical.inreachce.com/

1. Benzodiazepines and the Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders – 0.75 credits

2. Case Studies from the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners – 0.75 credits

3. Navigating the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) – 0.50 credits

4. Controlled Substance Issues in Palliative Medicine and Geriatrics – 1.00 credit

5. Dilemmas in Controlled Substance Prescribing – 1.00 credit

6. Prescribing Controlled Drugs During a RXDA Epidemic, Part I and II – 3.00 credits         

7. Treating Postoperative Pain: A Better Way – 1.00 credit