Methadone
Expanded medication-assisted treatment significantly cost effective for opioid abuse
A substantial proportion of people with opioid use disorder in the United States have not received any form of medication-assisted treatment, according to results of a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry.
VIDEO: PWIDs engaged in HCV treatment can achieve SVR
Using two methods of engagement – with methadone treatment or in a navigation setting – researchers at The Digital Liver Meeting Experience showed people who inject drugs can achieve viral response in hepatitis C virus.
Expert details psychiatrist’s role in tackling opioid crisis
Psychiatrists can play an important role in addressing the opioid crisis by optimizing medication-assisted treatment, according to a presenter at the NEI Max Virtual Conference.
Opioid-associated hearing loss rare, but should be considered when prescribing
Opioid-associated ototoxicity, or hearing loss, appears to be an adverse event that can occur with the use of a variety of opioids, according to research published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology.
Patients with opioid use disorder face discrimination in post-acute care
Many patients with opioid use disorder referred to post-acute care in Massachusetts were rejected due to a substance use disorder diagnosis or because they were treated with buprenorphine or methadone, according to a study published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine.
FDA requires opioid, OUD medication labels to include naloxone information
The FDA announced that drug manufacturers will now be required to include information about naloxone in prescribing information for opioids and medications to treat opioid use disorders.
Expanding methadone maintenance to pharmacies may reduce driving times, increase access
Methadone maintenance dispensed via pharmacy vs. opioid treatment programs may reduce driving times to receive this treatment in the U.S., according to results of a descriptive cross-sectional study published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Opioid use disorder medication, self-help groups rarely offered together
The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that self-help groups, “so long as they do not discourage participants from taking medications, can be particularly helpful during recovery” from opioid addiction.
One-third of PCPs question efficacy of medications for opioid use disorder
In a recent survey, about one-third of primary care physicians felt that medications for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine were no more effective than nonmedication treatments, despite evidence supporting their use as the “gold standard” treatment, researchers said.
Opioid agonists reduce overdose death risk by 80%
Individuals with opioid use disorder who were treated with opioid agonists had an 80% lower risk for opioid overdose death than those who did not receive medications during treatment, according to findings of a retrospective cohort study published in Addiction.