The long-awaited final rule revising 42 CFR Part 2—the confidentiality regulation applying to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records—is out.
The 54-page rule was published in the Federal Register on July 15, and takes effect on August 14. It follows along with the proposal, on which Filter reported last summer when the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the agency which is supposed to protect patient confidentiality, outlined sweeping changes to the rule.
The confirmed changes allow for Opioid Treatment Programs (commonly referred to as methadone clinics) to input patient information into Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), which can be accessed not only by medical professionals and pharmacists, but potentially by law enforcement.
Source: Filter
