Archive for Legislation

New Guidelines for Disposal of Controlled Substances

Excerpt from: Federal Registry Vol 79 Num 174
Download Complete FRN Disposal of Controlled Substances DEA 2014 HERE

AGENCY: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Justice.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule governs the secure disposal of controlled substances by registrants and ultimate users. These regulations will implement the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 by expanding the options available to collect controlled substances from ultimate users for the purpose of
disposal, including: Take-back events, mail-back programs, and collection receptacle locations. These regulations contain specific language allowing law enforcement to voluntarily continue to conduct take-back events, administer mail-back programs, and maintain collection receptacles. These  regulations will allow authorized manufacturers, distributors, reverse distributors, narcotic treatment programs (NTPs), hospitals/clinics with an on-site pharmacy, and retail pharmacies to voluntarily administer mail-back programs and maintain collection receptacles. In addition, this rule expands the authority of authorized hospitals/clinics and retail pharmacies to voluntarily maintain collection receptacles at long-term care facilities.

This rule also reorganizes and consolidates previously existing regulations on disposal, including the
role of reverse distributors.
DATES: Effective Date: This rule is effective October 9, 2014.
Compliance Date: All Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) issued pursuant to current 21 CFR 1307.21 will not be effective after October 9, 2014. Registrants may consult § 1317.05(a)(5) for information on requesting new MOAs and MOUs for disposal of controlled substances.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Imelda L. Paredes, Office of Diversion
Control, Drug Enforcement
Administration; Mailing Address: 8701
Morrissette Drive, Springfield, Virginia
22152; Telephone: (202) 598–6812.

Download Complete FRN Disposal of Controlled Substances DEA 2014 HERE

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AATOD Letter to Secretary Burwell

Please see letter below sent to the Honorable Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from Mark  W. Parrino, AATOD President.

Burwell_Letter 8-13-14 | Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Weekly August 11 2014

 

Dear Secretary Burwell,

I am writing you pursuant to correspondence that you had received, dated June
26,2014 from five US Senators. They were discussing their concerns about
untreated opioid addiction in the United States, and indicated that the
Department might have the ability to raise the patient cap for DATA 2000
practices without Congressional authorization.

I understand that the Department will be considering a number of policymaking
initiatives in order to respond to the current public health crisis of untreated
opioid addiction in our country, including the use of buprenorphine products in
certified DATA 2000 practices and Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). At the
present time, we have conducted a survey among the nation’s State Opioid
Treatment Authorities and AATOD member programs, concluding that
buprenorphine is an underutilized medication in the OTPs based on the lack of
reimbursement through third party payers.

(more…)

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Federal Policy Guidance Document released by CMS on July 11, 2014

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an informational bulletin with respect to services available under the Medicaid program to individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD).

You will find the reference on page 2 of this Federal Policy Guidance Document to be of interest, “Medication Assisted Treatment is the use of FDA approved medications in combination with evidence based behavioral therapies to provide a whole patient approach to treating SUDs.”

The Informational Bulletin can be accessed on Medicaid.gov HERE.

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AATOD Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder

Mark W. Parrino, President of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, Inc. (AATOD) shared a link to an important letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, dated April 10, 2014, which was signed by sixteen US Senators. The Senators are urging the Attorney General to work with all of the branches in the Department of Justice to utilize the federally approved medications to treat opioid addiction “in combination with counseling”. “Specifically, the Department should initiate a multi-state program utilizing anti-addiction medications to support successful reentry into society of opioid addicted offenders from various correctional settings.” He asks us to join him in supporting this approach and clearly the sixteen Senators understand the benefit of providing access to Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid addiction in the Criminal Justice setting.

Additional Resources:

 

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Einstein Expert Panel Report on MAT is Now Available

Einstein Report

The Einstein Expert Panel Report: Medication-Assisted Treatment and the Criminal Justice System examines three critical questions:

  1. What are the biggest issues and challenges around adoption of MAT in the justice context?
  2. What are the principles of incorporating MAT in justice settings?
  3. What specific themes underlie the utilization of MAT in justice settings?

Click here to download the report now.

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ATOD’s Response to Proposed Rule on Disposal of Controlled Substances

“We particularly appreciate the sensitivity of providing such guidance to the county at a time of increasing prescription opioid abuse and addiction.  These proposed regulations expand the entities to which ultimate users may transfer unused, unwanted or expired controlled substances for the purpose of disposal as w ell as the methods by which such controlled substances  mayb e collected.”

Click Here to read the entire letter on on AATOD’s response to

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