Dr. Stacey Sigmon and her colleagues at the University of Vermont have developed a new interim treatment for opioid addiction that can help patients awaiting comprehensive treatment. The interim treatment involves dispensing buprenorphine, a medication approved for opioid addiction treatment, through an electronic dispenser that provides a single daily dose. A 12-week trial showed this interim treatment helped waitlisted opioid dependent participants experience abstinence from illicit drug use while awaiting intensive care treatment.

1. www.sovaddictionrehab.com
Opioid Addiction: New Approach Gives Hope to Patients Awaiting Treatment
Amid the growing opioid crisis in the United States, the capacity of available treatment
programs is falling short of demand. As a result, people needing treatment for dependency
on heroin or prescription painkillers have to wait for months, sometimes even years, to get
appointments with certified doctors or to find slots in rehabilitation programs. While waiting
to consult the experts, they are at risk of contracting HIV or hepatitis infections, as well as
dying from a drug overdose.
To address the opioid-related risks in people waiting for addiction treatment, Dr. Stacey
Sigmon and her colleagues at the University of Vermont’s College of Medicine have come up
with a new therapeutic approach. They have developed an interim dosing treatment that can
help reduce use of illicit opioids and injectable drugs among waitlisted patients.
The intervention
suggested by Sigmon
would save patients
from frequent visits to
a doctor or a clinic. The
opioid addiction
treatment combines
buprenorphine, a
medication approved
by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration
(FDA), and an
electronic dispenser
that provides a single
daily dose on its own.
The mechanism
involves locks and alarms to ensure medical adherence and prevent tampering. It also has an
automated phone-based monitoring system and a random callback visits for pill counts and
urine testing. This is a temporary arrangement for waitlisted patients seeking opioid
treatment, allowing them to start taking medication immediately while they wait for a
community-based comprehensive program.
The 12-week trial focused on establishing the efficacy of the intervention showed positive
results. The study found that the interim buprenorphine helped waitlisted opioid-dependent
participants experience abstinence from illicit drug use. The researchers recommended the
interim therapy as an effective approach to help patients prevent the potentially fatal dangers
of illegal opioid use while they await an intensive-care program.

2. www.sovaddictionrehab.com
Opioid crisis in US
The opioid epidemic has been affecting millions in the country. The 2016 National Survey on
Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) suggests that 11.8 million Americans aged 12 or older misused
opioids in the year. The country reported highest opioid misuse among young adults aged 18
to 25, recording an annual incidence of 7.3 percent in the past year. The opioid epidemic has
been claiming thousands of lives each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), misusing opioids – heroin, fentanyl and prescription drugs – led to 33,091
deaths in 2015. Moreover, non-fatal unintentional opioid poisoning contributed to around
53,000 hospitalizations and 92,262 emergency department (ED) visits across the country.
Heroin, in particular, wreaked havoc in the past years. The CDC reported a two-time increase
in heroin use among young adults aged 18 to 25 in the past decade. With increased use of the
drug, heroin-related overdose deaths have also grown significantly, witnessing a four-fold
increase since 2010. Heroin-related overdose death rates saw a 20.6 percent increase
between 2014 and 2015, with around 13,000 people dying from the same in 2015 alone.
Dealing with heroin abuse
Researchers indicate a strong association between past misuse of prescription opioids and
initiating heroin use. Besides, official data shows that more than 90 percent people who used
heroin also reported use of at least one other drug. Increased availability and relatively low
price (compared to prescription opioids) are some common factors contributing to the rising
use of heroin. Taking strict action against drug dealers and educating people about dangerous
consequences of heroin use can help deal with the problem.
Heroin addiction can be treated. Eradicating addiction-related stigmas and encouraging
addicted people to seek treatment can prevent overdose deaths and ED visits. Sovereign
Addiction Services specializes in mental health and substance abuse treatment for men,
women and children. We offer effective heroin addiction treatment to suit individual needs
and help a patient recover faster. Call our 24/7 helpline number (866) 327-0971 for more
information on our heroin detox centers.