In a letter to the DEA, ASHP and its partners pointed out that pharmacists in five states — Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, North Dakota and Oregon — are authorized to prescribe controlled substances but are not listed on the DEA’s “Mid-Level Practitioners Authorization by State ” table.
The omission prevents pharmacists from obtaining DEA registration, limiting their ability to prescribe medications, including those for opioid use disorder, according to a March 4 ASHP news release.
The organization is urging the DEA to update its policies to remove the barriers that prevent pharmacists from fully utilizing prescriptive authority.