BUPE for Recovery Act

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Introduced on September 27, 2024 by Paul Tonko

Legislation Details

  • The legislation mandates a temporary exemption for buprenorphine products from the Suspicious Orders Report System (SORS) during the ongoing opioid public health emergency.
  • The exemption applies to any buprenorphine product approved for treating opioid use disorder.
  • The exemption will last until 270 days after the expiration of the opioid public health emergency declared on October 26, 2017.
  • A comprehensive report must be conducted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services within 90 days after the public health emergency expires.
  • The report will assess whether the exemption increased access to buprenorphine treatment for patients with opioid use disorder.
  • The report will also include recommendations on whether buprenorphine should remain exempt from SORS after the public health emergency ends.
  • The legislation expresses concern over reports of patients struggling to fill buprenorphine prescriptions due to pharmacies’ reluctance to stock these products, partly due to SORS requirements.
  • The temporary exemption aims to facilitate data collection and evaluation for a potential permanent exemption of buprenorphine from SORS.

Last updated 12/17/2024