Reminder About New DEA Training Requirement

 

What is this requirement about?


Effective June 27, 2023, practitioners such as physicians or physician assistants initiating or renewing a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration will need to attest to having met new federal training requirements on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. The one-time requirement applies to all practitioners registering with the DEA and the deadline for completion is the date of the practitioner’s next scheduled DEA registration submission.

What do you need to know?

 

The new training requirement is part of a federal law known as the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

Many physicians and physician assistants already may have met the training requirement. In a letter to registered practitioners, the DEA outlined groups of practitioners who were deemed to have met the requirement such as through board certification in addiction medicine or recent graduates whose curriculum included specialized training.

Another path to satisfying the requirement is through eight hours of relevant training. The training may be current or could have taken place at any time over multiple sessions and even prior to the enactment of this new obligation. Notably, past training required under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) to allow a practitioner to obtain an “X-waiver” to prescribe buprenorphine in any clinic setting does count toward the requirement. The same legislation that created this new training requirement also eliminated the X-waiver program which is intended to increase access to buprenorphine.

Note that Oregon’s separate pain management training through the Oregon Pain Management Commission (OPMC) that is required for medical board licensees is currently being evaluated for compliance with the federal requirement. Physicians and physician assistants should evaluate the applicability of any training including the OPMC course.

 

 

Where can I learn more about the requirement?

Here is a short list of resources for those interested in learning more about the federal legal changes and training information.

 

 



Last updated: June 2, 2023

Disclaimer: This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice. The information, examples, and suggestions presented in this material (though reliable) should not be construed as legal or other professional advice. Before applying this information in legal situations, we recommend you consult with legal counsel or other professional advisors.