Senators Address Long Acting Injectables from Specialty Pharmacies

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) recently introduced bipartisan legislation, the IMPACT Act, that would increase the amount of time a physician can hold long-acting injectable (LAI) buprenorphine from a specialty pharmacy. The current 14-day window is a barrier to health care providers utilizing LAI buprenorphine due to the logistical hurdles associated with specialty pharmacy delivery. This legislation reforms the law that was envisioned in the SUPPORT Act by allowing health care providers to hold the drug in their facility for up to 60 days. It helps to facilitate continuity of care and treatment for Americans with opioid use disorders by reducing an unnecessary barrier to this innovative treatment method.