Maine Senators and Representatives Urge DEA to Clarify EMS Drug Registration Rule

Maine’s congressional delegation, including Senators Angus King and Susan Collins and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, sent a letter to DEA Administrator Terrance Cole asking for clarification of a new EMS registration category added under the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act. The rule, which allows EMS agencies to register to handle controlled substances themselves, has been interpreted as mandatory, prompting the state’s two largest health systems—Northern Light Health and MaineHealth—to terminate medication agreements with roughly 140 EMS agencies.

The loss of agreements threatens the supply of critical drugs such as fentanyl and ketamine and could force agencies to incur costly safety‑storage upgrades. MaineHealth and Northern Light Health have offered limited timeline flexibilities, but the delegation stresses that swift clarification is needed to avoid unexpected expenses and preserve vital emergency‑medical partnerships.