ASAM Urges DEA to Finalize Proposal to Authorize Mobile OTPs

ASAM submitted a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) urging it to finalize its proposed rule to allow Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) to operate mobile units without requiring them to obtain a separate registration. The proposal to waive the requirement for a separate registration for a mobile component will allow OTPs to expand their reach and deliver evidence-based treatment services for opioid use disorder (OUD) to patients who may not otherwise be able to access such services.

In part due to the intensity of the regulatory requirements that OTPs must meet, there is insufficient OTP capacity to meet treatment need. OTPs are also not always geographically accessible to patients who need methadone treatment. A recent study found that patients in rural counties must drive longer distances to reach an OTP than patients in urban counties.
By allowing mobile components of registered OTPs to be considered a coincident activity, this proposed rule would reduce the costs of expanding an OTP’s geographic reach and increase access to treatment. 

Read ASAM's full letter here.