The synthetic opioid, fentanyl, has led to an increase in overdose deaths in recent years. As many as 112,000 in the last year according to NPR. As a result, some physicians are pushing to make methadone more available to those who need it. The Biden administration has created new federal rules for methadone treatment designed to widen access for more patients. In particular, the requirement of one year of active opioid addiction is being reduced to just 6 months of opioid addiction in order to become eligible to receive methadone. There are about 2000 federally-approved opioid treatment progr ..read more

There is an informative video by Sarah Wakeman on the physical and psychological perils of severe opioid withdrawal. Sarah is a Medical Director at Mass General Brigham. They are an integrated health care system that conduct medical research, teaching, and patient care. In the video, Sarah explains how opioid withdrawal can become so severe with diarrhea and vomiting that individuals can die from extensive dehydration. As physicial dependency progresses, the brain becomes increasingly imbalanced and unable to function without the presence of opioids. When opioid withdrawal commences (usually 8 ..read more

When it comes to addiction, reactions and opinions are often intense. Addiction is a devastating illness that can rapidly derail a person’s life, and seriously impact the lives of those around them. Sadly, addiction leads people to behave in ways that make no sense to their family, friends, and co-workers. Therein lies an important part of the problem. Family feel confused, angry, and fearful as their loved one tumbles down the hill of active addiction. When it comes to something as perplexing as drug addiction, grasping for answers is an understandable reflex for family and friends. What fami ..read more

Like most states, Oregon is in need of quality treatment options for opioid-addicted individuals who are ready for recovery. This article, in the Hillsboro News-Times, features the recent approval by Washington County commissioners to add a new methadone clinic in Hillsboro, Oregon. Acadia Healthcare is aiming to establish the new methadone clinic in Hillsboro in order to better serve the local community. Acadia already operate a mobile unit in the general area as well as a comprehensive treatment center (CTC) in nearby Tigard located about 20 miles away. The commissioners voted 5-0 to approve ..read more

There’s a new spin being proposed on the dispensing of methadone to Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) patients. A federally-funded project is underway between Scene Health and The University of Washington in which patients video themselves taking their daily methadone dose, and then submit that video to the treatment provider. The project is evaluating this new modified approach that falls somewhere between in-person daily dosing and unsupervised take home dosing. This new approach is currently being referred to as Video DOT (video direct observation therapy) and has been successfully implemented with ..read more

Historically, access to methadone for the treatment of opioid addiction has been through enrollment in a local clinic licensed to dispense methadone. As a result of Covid restrictions, some of these clinic regulations were relaxed. For example, many patients across the U.S. were allowed to begin receiving take home doses of methadone as a result of Covid lockdowns and decreased clinic access. Critics have begun to express the belief that clinic restrictions are cumbersome and that methadone should be made available for pick-up at local pharmacies. On the other hand, the concern remains that me ..read more

Counseling and support services are an integral part of the treatment process. Recovery from opioid addiction involves education on the addictive process and the development of skills that support lifestyle change. Medication assistance is key in managing opioid withdrawal sickness, but counseling offers the opportunity to learn valuable skills like identifying common high risk triggers for relapse and methods for reducing that risk. Addiction is a complex illness. Many patients who achieve early stability with methadone or suboxone will relax their commitment to treatment. They let their guar ..read more

Several articles recently addressed a study which found that providing buprenorphine after an overdose significantly increased the likelihood of individuals accessing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. The current protocol for paramedics and emergency departments in treating opioid overdose is to administer naloxone in order to reverse the effects of overdose. A recently published study showed that also providing buprenorphine immediately afterward reduced withdrawal discomfort and increased outpatient addiction follow-up care. A separate article referenced data showing a nearly six-fold inc ..read more

Minnesota officers recently seized a large quantity of fentanyl in the Midwest based on extensive investigation and “very, very good police work”. The drug bust removed enough fentanyl pills to kill over 1 million people, and the suspected dealer now faces federal charges for possessing a large quantity of synthetic opioids. Of particular concern was that the fentanyl doses had been pressed into a familiar pill that was indistinguishable from that provided in a typical oxycodone prescription. So oxycodone obtained on the street now presents with a much higher risk of fatal overdose than was pr ..read more

The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services has awarded $1.5 billion in an effort to support States in their fight against opioid addiction. The grant programs will provide funding to increase access to “24/7 Opioid Treatment Programs”. $104 million will be specifically allocated to bring treatment services to rural areas of the country that have been historically underserved. While stabilizing and rebuilding lives through medication-assisted treatment is a priority, the prevention of overdose deaths is a distinct goal of the new funding initiative. Major confiscation of fentanyl continues mon ..read more