DEA "MONITORING" OF BUPRENORPHINE-WAIVERED PHYSICIANS:

From the Am Soc Addict Med comes this notice:

"It appears the DEA plans to increase its efforts to monitor physician prescribing [of buprenorphine] under DATA 2000." To let docs know what's in store for them, ASAM comments as follows on past DEA "monitoring" - "Investigations usually last one to two hours . . . [and] In 52% of the 425 physicians inspected up to 12/07, no problems were noted. . . " One can imagine the eagerness with which physicians will be seeking to exercise their "waivers" to treat opiate addicts, and the demand by other prqctitioners to join the ranks of those who enjoy the privilege of prescribing buprenorphine!