The AP (12/18, Johnson) discusses the effectiveness of buprenorphine as a treatment for opioid addiction and withdrawal, and its surprising lack of availability at addiction treatment centers across the country. As an example “in Missouri, some treatment programs had shunned buprenorphine, particularly long-term, in favor of abstinence-based counseling and support groups.” Also, “some believed medications were a crutch that prevented true recovery.” However, “in 2017, with overdose deaths rising, Missouri tied federal grant money to a medication-first philosophy.” As such, “programs would get money only if they started clients on meds rapidly and if they dropped rules about medication time limits and attending counseling.” As a result, “medication treatment increased and more patients stayed in treatment longer.” Despite these results and others, the addiction treatment field is still divided on the benefits of its use as a sustainable recovery method.
Related Links:
— “Walk-in clinics for opioid addiction offer meds first, fast, “Carla K. Johnson, AP, December 18, 2019