Issue Briefs
Date of this Version
1-27-2022
Abstract
Overdose deaths have reached unprecedented levels in the U.S., despite effective medications to treat opioid use disorders (OUDs). Because the regulatory and administrative barriers to treatment are high, only about 11% of people with OUD receive effective medications, which include buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. In response, clinicians and advocates have looked to a “low-threshold” approach that reduces the stigma surrounding effective medications and facilitates their use. This brief summarizes the barriers to treatment, the evidence on the low-threshold approach, and areas for future research. The evidence suggests that low-threshold approaches can increase access to treatment, with outcomes comparable to high-barrier, standard care. Policymakers, providers, and payers should lower the barriers to medication treatment through regulatory flexibility (including telehealth prescribing), and harm reduction strategies that de-emphasize abstinence and place a priority on initiating or re-initiating treatment whenever and wherever individuals are ready to do so.
Document Type
Brief
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords
overdose, opioid, opioid epidemic, substance use
View On LDI Website
https://ldi.upenn.edu/our-work/research-updates/lowering-the-barriers-to-medication-treatment-for-people-with-opioid-use-disorder/
Date Posted: 27 January 2022
Comments
LDI briefs are produced by LDI's policy team. For more information please contact Penn LDI at pennldi-info@wharton.upenn.edu