In case you haven't heard…

One of the provisions of the SUPPORT Act, reauthorized this month, is that pharmacists can prescribe buprenorphine. Training is required. However, the SUPPORT Act must first be funded. Second, pharmacies must be willing to carry buprenorphine. And third, patients must not feel too stigmatized to take their prescriptions to the pharmacy. Doctors also must be prepared to get phone calls from pharmacies stating, “We don't carry it,” or other questions. “Pharmacists are on the front lines of patient care, and this provision recognizes their critical role in addressing the opioid epidemic,” said Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, executive vice president and CEO of the American Pharmacists Association. “By enabling pharmacists to prescribe buprenorphine with appropriate training, we are expanding access to treatment and saving lives.”