Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy
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Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy · Sep 2020
A mixed-method comparison of physician-reported beliefs about and barriers to treatment with medications for opioid use disorder.
Evidence demonstrates that medications for treating opioid use disorder (MOUD) -namely buprenorphine, methadone, and extended-release naltrexone-are effective at treating opioid use disorder (OUD) and reducing associated harms. However, MOUDs are heavily underutilized, largely due to the under-supply of providers trained and willing to prescribe the medications. ⋯ Additional education is needed for physicians regarding the comparative efficacy of different OUD medications. Governmental policies should mandate full insurance coverage of and prohibit prior authorization requirements for OUD medications.