ASAM, AMA Recommend that States Request OTP Blanket Waiver
On March 19, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and American Medical Association (AMA) recommeded that states with declared states of emergency request blanket exceptions from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that will help patients in an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The blanket exception will allow patients to obtain up to 28 days of Take Home medication if they are stable, and up to 14 days for patients who are less stable but who the OTP believes can safely handle that level of Take Home medication.
ASAM and the AMA recommend that state medical societies urge their State Opioid Treatment Authority to make this request. This is an important step to help patients with opioid use disorder during this time of national emergency, and the AMA and ASAM will continue to communicate further steps.