USA. Proposed Methadone Treatment Legislation May Put Patients at Risk — We need evidence-based, safe, and effective solutions
USA. Proposed Methadone Treatment Legislation May Put Patients at Risk — We need evidence-based, safe, and effective solutions
Overdoses in the U.S. due to opioids are hitting devastating new levels as high-potency synthetic opioids like fentanyl and metonitazene rack the nation. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder is a life-saving intervention with unmatched success in patient outcomes. This typically includes treatment with FDA approved medications, such as methadone or buprenorphine, along with counseling or behavioral health support.
However, I'm concerned that the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act (MOTAA) risks worsening the crisis rather than solving it by dismissing decades of data showing MAT programs are the gold standard for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. MOTAA would eliminate the requirement for MAT's safety guardrails by allowing doctors to prescribe methadone outside of highly structured opioid treatment program (OTP) clinics. (Medpage today,USA, 19.11.2023)