Medication-Assisted Treatment Greatly Reduces Risk of Dying From Opioid Overdose

People with opioid use disorder who receive treatment with medications such as buprenorphine or methadone are 80% less likely to die from an opioid overdose compared with patients treated without these medications, according to a new study.

The study included data on more than 48,000 patients treated for opioid addiction.

“Treatments with medications are much more effective for reducing overdose risk than medication-free treatments. All opioid treatment programs should offer and encourage use of medications such as methadone and buprenorphine,” lead researcher Noa Krawczyk of NYU Langone Health said in a news release.

Many treatment facilities don’t offer medication-assisted treatment, the study found. “The fact that so few addiction treatment providers offer these medications is unconscionable and should no longer be tolerated,” said Emily Feinstein, Executive Vice President at the Center on Addiction. “We need to do more to remove the barriers to methadone and buprenorphine, including insurance barriers, so that people can access the care they need,” she told HealthDay.