[2][3] Federal law prohibit physicians from directly prescribing methadone for patients with opioid use disorder, and prevent pharmacies from dispensing the medication.

Classified as a schedule II substance, OUD patients are only permitted to access the medication at opioid treatment facilities (OTPs), known as methadone clinics.

[9][8] In 2022, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) proposed to make expanded access permanent.

[13] Representative David Trone, a Democrat from Maryland, has endorsed the legislation, arguing that current laws hinder patients' ability to receive medication.

[15] The legislation has received opposition from the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AAOTD), a trade group that represents the interests of methadone clinics.