Home » HARM Reduction » DRUG TREATMENT
| HRC Project: Buprenorphine Demonstration
The adoption of buprenorphine has been very slow across the country and has been disproportionately prescribed to white patients who are misusing prescription drugs rather than heroin. The Harm Reduction Coalition's Buprenorphine demonstration Project has created a low threshold model that seeks out people who are dependent on heroin and wish to change their relationship to heroin. Stabilized patients are then to be transferred to clinicians with the offer of mentoring as they build their buprenorphine practices. |
| Buprenorphine & the need for lower threshold treatment models
Buprenorphine is the first oral medication that has been approved in the U.S. that physicians can prescribe in their offices to people who are dependent or addicted to opiates such as pain medication, heroin, or methadone. Buprenorphine is an effective medication for opiate addiction that does not require daily or weekly visits to a clinic. The adoption of buprenorphine has been very slow across the country and has been disproportionately prescribed to white patients who are misusing prescription drugs rather than heroin. One of the reasons for this is the American Society of Medicine training in buprenorphine treatment suggests unreasonably high thresholds for treatment. HRC advocates for lower threshold treatment models, and provides evidence-based trainings for physicians. This section includes sensible recommendations for practicioners. |
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Drug treatment is part of the spectrum of harm reduction. A range of treatment options best serves the principle of supporting any positive change, including pharmacotherapy, psychosocial treatment and moderationmanagement in out-patient and residential settings. Substitution treatment of heroin (and other opioid dependence) with methadone or buprenorphine is a highly effective therapy. People maintained on one of these medications stop or decrease heroin use, and they significantly decrease the risk of becoming HIV positive, of overdose and of incarceration.
