The United States Drug Enforcement Administration announced today that it is eliminating the DATA-Waiver Program. This policy change stems from the signing of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 on December 29, 2022.

According to its website, all DEA registrants should be aware of the following:

  • A DATA-Waiver registration is no longer required to treat patients with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.
  • Going forward, all prescriptions for buprenorphine only require a standard DEA registration number. The previously used DA TA-Waiver registration numbers are no longer needed for any prescription.
  • There are no longer any limits or patient caps on the number of patients a prescriber may treat for opioid use disorder with buprenorphine.
  • The Act does not impact existing state laws or regulations that may be applicable.

More information on this announcement is available on the DEA's website:
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/docs/index.html

To view the official announcement from DEA:
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/docs/A-23-0020-Dear-Registrant-Letter-Signed.pdf