USA. How Our Overdose Crisis Response Is Delayed At The Pharmacy
USA. How Our Overdose Crisis Response Is Delayed At The Pharmacy
Three decades into the overdose crisis, US lawmakers are still trying to stem the rising tide of drug-related deaths. Several recent changes, long advocated for by substance use experts, can make it easier for individuals to access life-saving care. These include allowing providers to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine, eliminating the cumbersome X-waiver for doctors to prescribe the medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) buprenorphine, and approving over-the-counter sale of the overdose reversal drug naloxone.
These promising developments, combined with the effective use of national opioid settlement funds, can improve our overdose response strategy dramatically—but only if we address persistent pharmacy-level barriers to care. (healthaffairs.org, USA, 14.05.2024)
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/our-overdose-crisis-response-delayed-pharmacy