USA. ‘Addiction is a chronic medical illness that's treatable,’ and primary care physicians can help - ASAM president discusses current state of opioid crisis and how primary care could be a new avenue for physicians to connect patients to treatment.

Primary care physicians could join the front lines of combating the nation’s continuing opioid crisis.

Last year set the stage for potential greater availability of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). In January 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published guidance stating Congress approved the elimination of the X-Waiver requirement and patient limits, making it easier for primary care physicians to prescribe buprenorphine to more people for OUD treatment.

In fall 2023, The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute published new resources positing primary care as a key area for treating OUD. Both said a key step would be greater physician willingness to prescribe buprenorphine.

Brian Hurley, MD, MBA, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), called it a good start to expanding access to OUD treatment across the U.S. health care system. (Medical Economies, USA, 09.01.2024)

https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/-addiction-is-a-chronic-medical-illness-that-s-treatable-and-primary-care-physicians-can-help