How to Prepare for the Proposed Changes to Telehealth Prescriptions

Tighter restrictions are probably in store for controlled substances like A.D.H.D. and anxiety medications. Here’s what you can do. During the pandemic, the expansion of telemedicine proved transformative for many people, especially those in rural areas. It allowed patients to receive medical care and prescriptions virtually, without the need to meet a provider in person. On May 11, however, the pandemic public health emergency is set to expire, and the Biden administration has proposed new rules for prescribing certain medications online once it ends. If and when these proposals go into effect, doctors will need to follow different, more restrictive guidelines when writing online prescriptions for controlled medications like the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug Adderall; the addictive painkiller OxyContin; Xanax, which is used for panic or anxiety disorders; and the anticonvulsant drug Klonopin, which is also used to treat anxiety.