Please read Dr. Crystal’s article in JAMA Network Open titled, “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Buprenorphine and Extended-Release Naltrexone Filled Prescriptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.“
COVID-19 deaths and increases in opioid overdose and death have disproportionately impacted racial and ethnic minority groups, intensifying pre-pandemic disparities. Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are Food and Drug Administration–approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Methadone is dispensed only in federal opioid treatment programs. Extended-release (XR) naltrexone (Vivitrol) has been increasingly used for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, particularly in criminal justice systems. Expanded use of buprenorphine is a policy priority given strong data on efficacy and potential provision in primary care. To read the full article.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Buprenorphine and Extended-Release Naltrexone Filled Prescriptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Nguyen T, Ziedan E, Simon K, Miles J, Crystal S, Samples H, Gupta S. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Jun 1;5(6):e2214765. PMID: 35648400 PMCID: PMC9161014 DOI: 1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.14765