Despite looser restrictions on prescribing a key medication for opioid addiction, a new study has found little change in the number of people taking the medication. Researchers analyzed prescriptions filled by U.S. pharmacies for the treatment drug buprenorphine and found that while the number of prescribers increased after the waiver requirement was eliminated, the number of patients filling prescriptions barely budged.
Dr. Kao-Ping Chua of the University of Michigan Medical School, a co-author of the study, noted that it may take more time to see a significant increase in patients. He highlighted the various barriers to prescribing the medication that still need to be addressed.
Buprenorphine, which helps with cravings, comes in a pill or film form and costs about $100 a month. Despite its effectiveness, barriers such as insurance hurdles, price, and stigma surrounding addiction treatment may be preventing more people from accessing the medication.
Dr. Ryan Marino of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine emphasized that buprenorphine is not as complex to use as some may think and that misconceptions about the medication may be contributing to the low uptake.
Experts are calling for more efforts to encourage hospitals and health systems to provide more treatment options for opioid addiction. While more doctors are prescribing buprenorphine, there is still a need for broader adoption within the medical profession to address the ongoing overdose crisis.