A proposed telemedicine rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration reportedly would limit the types of medication that can be prescribed if a patient and provider have not had an in initial in-person visit. Although the proposed rule has not been made public, an anonymous source leaked it.

This is just the latest development in a hotly debated issue. The DEA proposed two rules for telehealth controlled substance prescriptions early last year but withdrew them after receiving 38,000 public comments. The new rule, which would set a post-pandemic norm for patients receiving medications through telehealth, was expected to be issued this month, according to the administration's schedule of regulatory actions.

The unpublished rule reportedly restricts schedule II substances such as Adderall from being prescribed at all unless an in-person visit has occurred. Schedule III-V substances can be prescribed based solely on a telehealth visit. The draft rule reportedly allows providers to do only half of prescribing online, in an effort to prevent misuse and diversion, with the other half done in person.