Suboxone accessibility is limited in many states affected by the opioid epidemic, based on research from Harvard.
The opioid epidemic continues to ravage communities and entire states. Policymakers, doctors and families are looking for ways to reduce opioid deaths and help people dealing with opioid addiction and dependence.Medication-assisted treatmentis one option that can help, but this type of treatment isn’t always readily available.
Suboxoneis one medication used to treat opioid addiction and dependence. However, a recent study findsSuboxone treatmentmay not be accessible for many people. The Harvard Chan School of Public Health study found it can be difficult to find health care providers who can prescribeSuboxone treatment.
Researchers acted as patients in areas with high overdose rates, including Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Ohio and the District of Columbia. The researchers called prescribers who reportedly offered Suboxone, buthalf of the prescriberssaid they were not accepting new Medicaid patients. Even when a provider was accepting Medicaid patients, wait times were long.
The Opioid Epidemic & Suboxone Treatment at a Glance
Suboxone is a brand-name prescription formulation of buprenorphine and naloxone, and it is approved to help treat opioid dependence.Buprenorphine is an opioid, and naloxone blocks the euphoric effects of opioids that can lead to abuse.
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When someone takes Suboxone, it can help reduce thephysical symptoms of opioid dependence. Suboxone comes as a film that taken under the tongue or dissolved inside the cheek. The buprenorphine then travels to the brain and attaches to opioid receptor sites.
Suboxone and other medication-assisted treatment options are intended to be used along with counseling andbehavioral therapy. Suboxone isn’t a treatment foropioid addiction, but it can help prevent withdrawal symptoms and cravings while a person receives treatment for addiction. Studies often showbetter outcomeswhen medication-assisted treatment is paired with addiction treatment. Treatment with medication reduces the risk of relapse and can help prevent overdoses.
As an example, a study in Sweden looked at patients who took a 16 mg maintenance dose of buprenorphine each day. This group was compared to a control group that received buprenorphine for a six-day detox, followed by administration of a placebo. All study participants had psychosocial support. Thetreatment failure ratewith the placebo was 100%, but the failure rate with buprenorphine was only 25%.Of the patients who didn’t stay in treatment, there was a mortality rate of 20%.
Suboxone treatmentfor opioid dependence requires a qualified doctor or health care professional to administer the treatment. For a care provider to be eligible, they have to take an 8-hour classabout Suboxone and addiction treatment. Once a doctor receives their credentials to prescribe Suboxone, they can only treat a limited number of patients at one time.
Why the Shortage of Suboxone Treatment Programs?
According to the Harvard study,outpatient Suboxone treatmentcan be challenging to find. Though researchers found that mostSuboxone treatment centerscould take patients for new appointments in less than a week, it may be too long for people with addiction to wait. So why isSuboxone treatment protocollimited, especially in states that are heavily impacted by the opioid epidemic?
There are a few reasons, according to the lead study author, Dr. Michael Barnett. First, few doctors and nurses have gone through the training required to provide Suboxone. There is also a stigma that comes with treating patients who have an opioid or drug addiction, and it may be something providers aren’t willing to do. Also, many people who are looking forSuboxone treatmentmay have Medicaid. Medicaid payments are usually lower than what providers receive when a patient has private insurance.
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Treatment Must Be Readily Accessible and Available
The National Institute on Drug Abuse outlinesprinciples of effective addiction treatment. One of the major principles is that treatment needs to be readily available. This is because someone struggling with addiction may be unsure about going to treatment, so having services when they need them is essential. Someone might lose their willingness to receive treatment if it’s not highly accessible. Additionally, the earlier someone receives treatment in their disease, the higher the likelihood of positive outcomes.
There is a possibility thatsame-day Suboxone treatmentavailability or more accessiblealternatives to Suboxonetreatmentcould help reduce opioid deaths. People who struggle with opioid use would likely benefit from getting appointments more quickly and having moreSuboxone maintenance treatmentproviders. Based on the research findings from Harvard, it could be something the medical industry and public policymakers look at.
If you are struggling with opioid abuse and addiction, The Recovery Village can help.Contact ustoday to learn more about treatment options that may work well for your situation.
