The R Street Institute urged Maryland Governor Wes Moore on April 15 to sign House Bill 838 and Senate Bill 562, which would allow pharmacists to prescribe medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The letter, authored by Stacey McKenna, resident senior fellow and associate director in Healthier Communities at the R Street Institute, highlights support for reducing regulatory barriers to expand access to evidence-based treatment options.
According to McKenna, these legislative measures are intended to address ongoing challenges faced by individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) in accessing necessary care. She said that expanding the availability of MOUD through pharmacist prescribing could help more people begin and maintain recovery.
McKenna wrote, “By increasing medication availability it will become easier for individuals with OUD to get the care they deserve and need to begin and remain in recovery.” She also pointed out that Maryland has seen a decline in drug overdose deaths over the past four years but noted that significant challenges remain: “Last year, despite the dramatic improvements, 1,315 people still died of a drug overdose. Estimates suggest that between 30,000 and 100,000 Maryland residents are living with an OUD, many undiagnosed or unable to access treatment.”
The letter emphasizes buprenorphine as an effective FDA-approved MOUD that can reduce health risks associated with opioid misuse. McKenna said buprenorphine is less likely than illicit opioids to cause overdose and helps patients stay engaged in long-term recovery.
Despite these benefits, McKenna argued that overregulation has limited access: “Despite these benefits, buprenorphine has long been overregulated in the United States.” She referenced recent federal actions such as the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of December 2022 and provisions from the SUPPORT for Patients And Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 as steps toward making pharmacist prescribing more feasible.
McKenna concluded her appeal by stating: “By expanding access and reducing barriers to evidence-based treatment for OUD through pharmacist prescribing of buprenorphine, HB 838 and SB 562 would prepare Maryland to continue its fight against the overdose crisis. It would save lives, improve people’s health and well-being, increase community safety and reduce costs to taxpayers. Therefore we urge you to sign HB 838 and SB 562.”
