AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 53, Chapter 11, relative to the use of buprenorphine products.
Summary
HB1984 amends Tennessee law governing buprenorphine products, which are used in the treatment of substance use disorder. The bill narrows and clarifies when buprenorphine mono products or buprenorphine without naloxone may be directly administered by a healthcare provider, allowing such administration only pursuant to a medical order or prescription order from specified licensed physicians or other authorized healthcare providers. It also states that these products may not be dispensed in a way that allows the patient to take them away from the dispensing premises.
The bill further limits prescribing or dispensing of buprenorphine mono products or buprenorphine without naloxone by authorized providers, except in specific circumstances: for pregnant women, nursing mothers, patients with a documented adverse reaction or hypersensitivity, or when prescribing an injectable mono product. In effect, the measure creates a more restrictive framework for use of non-naloxone buprenorphine products while preserving exceptions for certain clinical situations.
Impact
HB1984 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 53, Chapter 11, Section 53-11-311, changing the rules for direct administration and prescribing of buprenorphine mono products and buprenorphine without naloxone. It affects healthcare providers, physicians, and patients receiving medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder by limiting when these products may be used and by prohibiting take-home dispensing from the point of administration. The bill leaves in place targeted exceptions for pregnancy, nursing, documented intolerance, and injectable mono products.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little opposition. It advanced unanimously through the House Health Subcommittee and House Health Committee, then passed the House on third consideration with only a small number of dissenting votes, including a 81-1 consent calendar passage vote and a 28-3 third consideration vote. The voting pattern suggests general agreement with the bill’s approach to regulating buprenorphine products.
Contention
The main policy tension is between tighter control of buprenorphine mono products and preserving access for patients who may need them. Supporters appear to favor restricting non-naloxone formulations to reduce misuse or inappropriate dispensing, while the statutory exceptions indicate concern for clinical cases where naloxone-free products are medically appropriate, such as pregnancy, nursing, hypersensitivity, or injectable formulations. The limited opposition in floor votes suggests any disagreement was modest and likely centered on access versus control in medication-assisted treatment.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39; Title 40; Title 43, Chapter 27; Title 53, Chapter 11; Title 57 and Title 67, relative to the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39; Title 40; Title 43, Chapter 27; Title 53, Chapter 11; Title 57 and Title 67, relative to the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.