- A. Pregnant women may be treated with the buprenorphine mono-product, usually 16 milligrams per day or less.
- B. Patients younger than the age of 16 years shall not be prescribed buprenorphine for addiction treatment unless such treatment is approved by the FDA.
- C. The progress of patients with chronic pain shall be assessed by reduction of pain and functional objectives that can be identified, quantified, and independently verified.
- D. Practitioners shall (i) evaluate patients with medical comorbidities by history, physical exam, and appropriate laboratory studies and (ii) be aware of interactions of buprenorphine with other prescribed medications.
- E. Practitioners shall not undertake buprenorphine treatment with a patient who has psychiatric comorbidities and is not stable. A patient who is determined by the practitioner to be psychiatrically unstable shall be referred for psychiatric evaluation and treatment prior to initiating medication-assisted treatment.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2957 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 35, Issue 21, eff. July 10, 2019.