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Too often, patients drop out early from opioid agonist therapy and lose the many benefits it offers. Is there some way to intervene early and retain patients? A new study in Drug and Alcohol Dependence suggests that, indeed, there may be. A group headed by Leigh V. Panlilio, PhD, a staff fellow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, investigated … [Read more...] about When Early Dropout From Opioid Agonist Therapy Seems Likely, Identifying Problems and Taking Action May Help Keep Patients in Treatment

Vermonters didn’t hesitate when recently asked to share their opinions about the state’s hub-and-spoke (H & S) medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Instead, they responded freely to open-ended questions and queries posed during in-depth interviews. Their perceptions and opinions are the subject of a recent study in Preventive Medicine: “Patient perceptions … [Read more...] about Vermonters Speak Out About MOUD in the State’s Hub-and-Spoke System

It’s generally accepted that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with methadone or buprenorphine is more effective than nonpharmacologic treatment in opioid use disorder (OUD). But what about the relative merits of methadone and buprenorphine in OUD? Important differences exist between the two medications in several key areas: underlying pharmacologic actions, dosing schedule, … [Read more...] about Relative Costs and Benefits of Methadone vs. Buprenorphine in OUD

Twelve opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in New York State are participating in a $7 million clinical trial integrating treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients taking methadone. The clinical trial, “Comparison of Telemedicine to Usual Care for HCV Management for Methadone-maintained Individuals,” being carried out at the University at Buffalo (UB), is aimed at … [Read more...] about COMPA Members Use Telemedicine in Clinical Trial to Assess Hepatitis C Management in Methadone-Maintained Patients

The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) is concerned about recent initiatives that would reduce confidentiality for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) who take methadone or buprenorphine. Specifically, two proposals from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) would lead to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) … [Read more...] about AATOD Concerned About SAMHSA Proposal to Drop PDMP Restriction