Which drug can be prescribed under a DATA waiver?

A drug that can be prescribed under a DATA waiver is buprenorphine. The Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) allows qualified physicians to treat opioid dependence with specific medications, and buprenorphine is one of the primary drugs approved for this purpose. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, which means it can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings in individuals seeking to overcome addiction to more potent opioids like heroin or prescription pain relievers.

To prescribe buprenorphine under the DATA, a physician must obtain a waiver from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), allowing them to prescribe this medication in an office-based setting, rather than requiring patients to receive treatment in a specialized rehabilitation facility.

In contrast, the other options listed – fentanyl, hydrocodone, and oxycodone – are not specifically indicated for treating opioid addiction in the same way buprenorphine is. They are full agonists that can lead to further opioid dependence and misuse. Therefore, they do not fall under the prescribing allowances established by the DATA waiver, which specifically focuses on medications used in the treatment of opioid use disorder.