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Good morning and happy Thursday. Let’s get right to it.
New bill aims to expand methadone access
Today, two senators will introduce a bill that would expand access to methadone treatment by allowing doctors who hold board certifications in addiction medicine to prescribe it directly to patients for pickup at a pharmacy. (Currently, the treatment is only available at about 2,000 specialty clinics.) The legislation was first introduced in 2023 but withered in the House.
“For too long, we have kept methadone — an evidence-based, life-saving medication — locked away, far from many of the people who need it,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement to STAT’s Lev Facher. Read more on how the bill has been updated and how much support is behind it.
