TAKING DELICATE sips, as if it were hot tea, it takes the elderly patient three goes to finish her shot glass of bright liquid. The cherry flavour is the best, her nurse explains, but it is still pretty bad. Nevertheless, she rinses the cup and drinks the remains, so as not to waste a drop. The methadone will prevent opioid withdrawal and stave off her cravings. The vast majority of the 500 patients at the methadone clinic at St Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx have to visit six days a week. Staff try to make it welcoming, with birthday celebrations and snowglobes and bobbleheads on desks, but the daily visits are still a hassle, Elena, the nurse explains. She has worked in the clinic for a dozen years: some patients have been coming in even longer.
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Medications for opioid addiction have been used in one form or another for half a century in lots of countries and they are effective. Studies find that they reduce the risk of a fatal overdose by 80% and help addicts avoid relapse, HIV and hepatitis. But just 22% of Americans with an opioid problem got medication for the condition in 2021. Opioid overdose deaths have spiked, from around 50,000 a year before the pandemic to 80,000 in 2021.
It is currently annoying to get methadone, as the Bronx residents fighting a bitter wind to get to St Barnabas can attest. Clinicians fear misuse. Methadone is still an opioid and has a street value. Too much can cause an overdose. So treatment has been tightly controlled, at clinics with observed dosing (which is why patients sip, rather than take a pill which could be hidden under a tongue). But in March 2020, as people stayed home and tried to avoid medical facilities, federal regulations were relaxed to allow stable patients to take home enough to last 28 days. Those changes might now be made…
2023-02-02 09:18:13 Medication for opioid addiction is getting easier to access
Original from www.economist.com
In recent years, opioid addiction has become an increasingly prevalent issue in the United States, with growing rates of addiction, overdose, and death. To combat this problem, it is essential for individuals to have access to a variety of treatments such as medication for opioid addiction, which can help reduce cravings and lessen the chances of a relapse.
Fortunately, medication for opioid addiction is becoming easier to access. In many states, it is covered by insurance and offered by a variety of health care providers, ranging from primary care physicians to addiction specialists. Additionally, many pharmacies are now offering opioid addiction medications over the counter without a prescription.
The availability of medications for opioid addiction has been boosted by the expansion of government support for these treatments. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has developed evidence-based medication guidelines for clinicians to follow when treating opioid use disorder. They also have an opioid treatment program that provides medications and related services to those in need.
The increasing accessibility of opioids medications is a tremendous step forward in our collective fight against opioid addiction. Having a range of treatment options available allows people to find the help they need as soon as possible. In addition, these treatments help individuals become and stay sober, potentially saving them from a host of negative consequences that can accompany opioid use.
Without a doubt, more work needs to be done to address the opioid crisis. Yet, with the increasing availability of opioid medications, we have taken a significant step towards offering more individuals the treatment they need. As the availability of these medications continues to improve, the hope is that more individuals with opioid addiction will get the help they need to lead healthier, more successful lives.