Testimony presented before the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies on April 5, 2017.
Sixty-seven people will die today in America because of heroin or narcotic painkillers, if recent overdose statistics are any guide. RAND research offers strategies to save those lives and thousands more around the world.
Following three possible recommendations for medical care for people with an opioid addiction may cut deaths among such patients by as much as one-third. Deaths were much lower among patients who were not prescribed opioids or common types of anxiety medications, those who received psychosocial counseling, and those who had quarterly visits with a physician.
This integrated collaborative care protocol was created for a research study that looked at ways to implement medication-assisted and behavioral treatment for patients with opioid and alcohol use disorders in a community health clinic.
Recent strategies to combat the opioid epidemic have had some success. But much more research is needed to understand their effectiveness. For pressing funding decisions, policymakers should focus on tactics that address both prescription opioid and heroin use.
This tool reviews how primary care providers should discuss and treat alcohol or opioid dependence with their patients, including using extended-release, injectable naltrexone and administering buprenorphine/naloxone.
Many American physicians who prescribe buprenorphine to treat individuals addicted to opioids are prescribing substantially below the patient limits allowed by law. More than 20 percent of waivered physicians treated only three or fewer patients.
Many American physicians who prescribe buprenorphine to treat individuals addicted to opioids are prescribing substantially below the patient limits allowed by law. More than 20 percent of waivered physicians treated only three or fewer patients.
A list of articles and studies by the RAND Drug Policy Research Center that will be useful for those making decisions about policies for heroin and other opioids.
Opioid overdoses were the greatest cause of accidental death in America in 2014. A panel discussion at RAND addressed the epidemic, including societal attitudes toward pain and addiction, poor understanding of the mechanics of addiction itself, economic drivers, legal responses, and treatment approaches.
In this Events @ RAND podcast, our panel of experts focuses on the current opioid abuse epidemic, discussing prevention, treatment, and recovery options.
Guidance on how to prevent or treat the misuse of prescription drugs in the U.S. Department of Defense and Veterans Administration is similar to directives outside the military system, and tends to focus on opioids.
Deaths from overdoses in America are reaching levels similar to those at the peak of the HIV epidemic. RAND's Bradley D. Stein discusses what actions might help stem the growing problem of heroin and prescription drug addiction.
This study explored the process of adoption and implementation of a school-based drug and alcohol prevention program, Project ALERT, in the country of Chile.
Brief Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: A Guide for Behavioral Health Providers is a clinician guidebook that describes a six-session brief treatment for patients with alcohol and opiate use disorders.
Increasing the number of physicians who can prescribe buprenorphine for opioid abuse and supporting their ability to treat more patients may be the fastest approach to enhancing capacity for treatment, particularly in less populated counties.
This study examines the evolution of states' coverage and policies with respect to opioid agonist therapy and present an overview of the Medicaid policy environment from 2004 to 2013.
