In late December 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly issued a Fourth Temporary Extension of COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities that allows health care providers to continue prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine without a prior in-person medical evaluation through December 31, 2026.

This action was taken to avoid what regulators have described as a potential “telemedicine cliff,” a sudden loss of access to virt…

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