The feds recently published an article touting the long-term success of buprenorphine: In the first long-term follow-up of patients treated with buprenorphine/naloxone (Bp/Nx) for addiction to opioid pain relievers, half reported that they were abstinent from the drugs 18 months after starting the therapy. After 3.5 years, the portion who reported being abstinent had risen … Continue reading Optimism? Or, is it low expectations?
Tag: buprenorphine
Don’t believe the hype
About that Huffington Post article covering Obama's addiction speech a few weeks ago. ALLEGATION FACT FACT A Huffington Post investigation published in January found that the treatment industry overwhelmingly resists a medication-assisted model based on decades-old beliefs about sobriety that have been passed down by those in recovery, but have never been rigorously tested. Suboxone is the number 39 … Continue reading Don’t believe the hype
2014’s top posts: #2
"He'd still be alive" Much has been said this week about the death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I've heard two recurring themes. First, that he might still be alive if he had been "treated with an evidence-based" treatment, like buprenorphine. Second, that he might still be alive if he hadn't been inculcated with the disease … Continue reading 2014’s top posts: #2
ASAM president also medical director for drug company
I missed this a while back. Turns out that ASAM's president works for a buprenorphine manufacturer. Stuart Gitlow, M.D., is the president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and also medical director — as a consultant — for Orexo, which makes Zubsolv, a newly approved buprenorphine-naloxone medication (see ADAW, July 15). The first public … Continue reading ASAM president also medical director for drug company
Addiction research funding focused on “abstinence only”?
DJ Mac picks up on a story that also caught my eye and catches a line moaning about research bias in favor of abstinence-based programs. He pulled this quote. The gorilla in the room around this question turns out to be the ideology of the decision makers. “There are ideological constraints tied to what gets … Continue reading Addiction research funding focused on “abstinence only”?
Another buprenorphine study with poor outcomes for young patients
A recent study looks at buprenorphine retention and frames young adult retention as a problem. Emerging adults (18-25 years old) are often poorly retained in substance use disorder treatment. Office-based buprenorphine often enhances treatment retention among people with opioid dependence. In this study, we examined the records of a collaborative care buprenorphine treatment program … Continue reading Another buprenorphine study with poor outcomes for young patients
not what one might hope for
Somehow, I missed the buprenorphine implant until a comment on yesterday's post. Yesterday's post pointed to dropout issues with buprenorphine. Of course, an implant would address that issue. However, the outcomes for the implants are, "not what one might hope for". Probuphine was evaluated in two placebo-controlled trials. In terms of efficacy, researchers found that patients … Continue reading not what one might hope for
“He’d still be alive”
Much has been said this week about the death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I've heard two recurring themes. First, that he might still be alive if he had been "treated with an evidence-based" treatment, like buprenorphine. Second, that he might still be alive if he hadn't been inculcated with the disease model, which purportedly fosters … Continue reading “He’d still be alive”
Feds raid Reckitt Benckiser offices; criminal probe underway
Hmmm. All is not well with the manufacturer of Suboxone. Reckitt Benckiser’s offices in Richmond, Va., were raided by a team of IRS and Office of Inspector General (OIG) agents on December 3rd. No one is saying what the feds are investigating, but here is some legal analysis. The search warrant, which company officials say … Continue reading Feds raid Reckitt Benckiser offices; criminal probe underway
NY Times / Suboxone redux
I thought I was done, but here are a couple more smart takes. Both support maintenance but appreciate the article raising awareness of important problems. From The Institute Blog: And as the articles (and the comment section) demonstrate, the use of buprenorphine to treat addiction and prevent substance use-related harms is messy. Interlacing text and video, … Continue reading NY Times / Suboxone redux
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