Many hospital-based physicians are not comfortable with methadone, although they are very comfortable with morphine and a lot of other opioids used for pain. When these physicians find their patients who are admitted to the hospital for an injury, acute illness or other problem also have untreated opioid use disorder (OUD), they may panic. “Methadone? I don’t know anything … [Read more...] about Methadone Induction for Inpatients: Working with OTPs, but Stabilizing Quickly
2021
STUDY: OUD Disclosure Can Be Helpful, or Devastating; Study Participants Offer Advice
Stigma—negative beliefs and misperceptions, based on misinformation or lack of information—has long plagued people with opioid use disorders (OUDs), whether they’re in treatment or not. A new study in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment highlights two troubling aspects of stigma: the reactions of others when people disclose their OUD history or current treatment, and the … [Read more...] about STUDY: OUD Disclosure Can Be Helpful, or Devastating; Study Participants Offer Advice
ONDCP on CDC’s Latest OD Data
On October 13 the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released provisional death data showing a record number of 99,106 overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending March. This is a 31% increase from the prior 12-month period ending in March 2020. Regina LaBelle, acting assistant director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) said … [Read more...] about ONDCP on CDC’s Latest OD Data
AATOD Calls for OTP Reforms, Including Relaxing Rules
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) is recommending that federal regulators relax rules regarding methadone treatment by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Only OTPs, certified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), are allowed to dispense methadone for the treatment of opioid use disorders (OUDs). The rules … [Read more...] about AATOD Calls for OTP Reforms, Including Relaxing Rules
REVIEW ARTICLE: How Long Should OAT Last? A Month? A Year? Or…Forever?
The review article summarized here delves into a timely question: How long should treatment for opioid addiction last? The authors, Anjali Dhanda, MD, and Edwin Salsitz, MD, look at best practices for treatment duration, discuss factors affecting the ideal length of treatment, and cover some of the many barriers to treatment—barriers that lead many people to either avoid … [Read more...] about REVIEW ARTICLE: How Long Should OAT Last? A Month? A Year? Or…Forever?