At the completion of this activity, participants will:
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of monthly subcutaneous extended-release buprenorphine versus other opioid use disorder treatment modalities.
Identify medical advantages of monthly subcutaneous extended-release buprenorphine over daily sublingual buprenorphine from a safety perspective with regards to issues like COVID-19 and patient medication diversion.
Describe how patients felt they benefitted from monthly subcutaneous extended-release buprenorphine over daily sublingual buprenorphine especially psychologically in relation to difficulties surrounding stigma and constantly needing to remember to take daily medication.
Presentation Summary: Israel has been experiencing a rapid rise in the rate of opioid prescribing, which is extremely concerning as this often leads to misuse, addiction and overdose deaths. To expand the available opioid use disorder treatment options, despite COVID-19, in 2019, Israel became the second country in the world, after the United States, to approve monthly subcutaneous extended-release buprenorphine (XR-BUP). This study assessed the first 30 pioneering patients in Israel who received XR-BUP regarding their personal background, history of opioid use disorder, previous treatments, participant’s reasons for switching to a new medication and their attitudes toward an extended-release formulation.
