{"data":{"id":"us-va/18vac90-40-280","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"18VAC90-40-280","heading":"Special populations","body":"A. Pregnant women may be treated with the buprenorphine mono-product, usually 16 milligrams per day or less.\n\nB. Patients younger than the age of 16 years shall not be prescribed buprenorphine for addiction treatment unless such treatment is approved by the FDA.\n\nC. 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.\n\nD. 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.\n\nE. 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.","path":["Title 18. Professional And Occupational Licensing","Agency 90. Board of Nursing","Chapter 40. Regulations for Prescriptive Authority for \nAdvanced Practice Registered Nurses","Part VII. Prescribing of Buprenorphine"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter40/section280/","current_through":"2026 Regular Session (effective July 1, 2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:52:53Z","sha256":"a30d1e949b26ab5a5ef2893418f8a8d0fa313eb18bdde3a68211357dbcd96ce8","source_id":"us-va-vac","stale":false,"prev":"us-va/18vac90-40-270","next":"us-va/18vac90-40-290"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}