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Opioids

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Q&A
A New Approach to Fighting Synthetic Opioids: Q&A with David Luckey and Jayme Fuglesten
The opioid crisis isn't just about drug policy or law. It involves national security, homeland security, intelligence, diplomacy, supply chain issues, and cryptocurrency. Drawing on RAND's expertise across all those areas, the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking delivered a plan, a call to action about what it's going to take to save lives.
Apr 26, 2022
Commentary
Fentanyl Makes an Already Dangerous Drug Market Deadlier Than Ever
Failure to recognize and respond to how rapidly illegal drug markets have changed with the arrival of illegally manufactured synthetic opioids will continue to put many Americans at risk of exposure to fentanyl, endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands more for years to come.
May 2, 2022

Explore Opioids

Journal Article
Predictors of Long-Term Opioid Use Following Hospitalization for Traumatic Injury in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Population: A 12-Month Prospective Observational Study
Long-term prescription opioid use can lead to poor health outcomes. This study identifies predictors of long-term prescription opioid use among racially and ethnically diverse patients hospitalized for traumatic injury.
Sep 29, 2022
Journal Article
Consensus-Based Guidance on Opioid Management in Individuals With Advanced Cancer-Related Pain and Opioid Misuse or Use Disorder
This qualitative study provides consensus-based guidance for clinicians and highlights research and policy gaps that warrant urgent attention to meet the needs of people with cancer-related pain and opioid misuse/use disorder.
Sep 21, 2022
Journal Article
Perspectives of Patients Receiving Telemedicine Services for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment: A Qualitative Analysis of User Experiences
We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 adults receiving care from one fully virtual opioid use disorder telemedicine service who had received three to five weeks of treatment.
Sep 8, 2022
News Release
Out-of-Pocket Cost of Naloxone May Keep Many Uninsured from Using Lifesaving Treatment
The cost of buying the opioid antidote naloxone is out of reach for many uninsured Americans, a hurdle that may keep the treatment from saving more people who overdose on opioids.
Aug 19, 2022
Tool
Concurrent Policies Simulation Tool
This tool allows users to select from a range of simulation parameters to explore how different models perform and compare models by various performance metrics.
Aug 19, 2022
Journal Article
Legal Review of State Emergency Medical Services Policies and Protocols for Naloxone Administration
We provide data on the authority of providers at different emergency medical services licensure levels to administer naloxone. We also describe relevant policies regarding which administration routes and dosages are permitted for each licensure level.
Aug 2, 2022
Journal Article
Methodological Considerations for Estimating Policy Effects in the Context of Co-Occurring Policies
Researchers conducted simulations to assess how concurrently implemented policies affected the evaluation of hypothetical state-level policies.
Jul 15, 2022
Journal Article
State Policies and Buprenorphine Prescribing by Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants
This cross-sectional study used pharmacy claims to examine the association of state policies with the odds of receiving buprenorphine treatment from a nurse practitioner or physician assistant versus a physician.
Jun 2, 2022
Journal Article
Opioid Use Disorder Among Clients of Community Mental Health Clinics: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Treatment Willingness
The authors examined the prevalence of co-occurring opioid use disorder and willingness to engage in treatment among clients of eight Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health outpatient clinics.
Jun 1, 2022
Blog
How Data Can Help Refugees, Homelessness in L.A., Harm Reduction: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on tapping into Facebook data to help refugees, addressing homelessness in Los Angeles, understanding burnout among health care providers, and more.
May 6, 2022
Blog
A Peacekeeping Operation in Ukraine, Synthetic Opioids, Geoengineering: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on why it may be time to consider a peacekeeping operation in northern Ukraine, supporting veterans with traumatic brain injury, a new response to synthetic opioids, and more.
Apr 29, 2022
Journal Article
Beyond State Scope of Practice Laws for Advanced Practitioners: Additional Supervision Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing
This study of state laws governing buprenorphine prescribing found that these vary; nurse practitioner and physician assistant supervision should include state non-scope of practice laws.
Mar 31, 2022
Journal Article
Association of Individual and Community Factors With Hepatitis C Infections Among Pregnant People and Newborns
US hepatitis C viral infections among pregnant women grew fastest among White and American Indian/Alaska Native people without a 4-year degree.
Mar 29, 2022
Journal Article
Assessment of Postoperative Opioid Prescriptions Before and After Implementation of a Mandatory Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
In this study of adult patients who received a postoperative prescription for opioid medication, mandatory consultation with EHR-based alerts was associated with decreases in prescription quantities.
Mar 29, 2022
Blog
Insights on Russia's War in Ukraine, Global Citizenship, Vaccination Equity: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on Russia's war on Ukraine, medication treatment for patients with opioid use disorder, promoting global citizenship in America, and more.
Mar 25, 2022
Journal Article
Subsequent Buprenorphine Treatment Following Emergency Physician Buprenorphine Prescription Fills: A National Assessment 2019 to 2020
This study examined the rates of subsequent buprenorphine treatment for buprenorphine-naïve individuals filling buprenorphine prescriptions from emergency physicians and initiated buprenorphine treatment and how such rates varied before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mar 23, 2022
News Release
Most People Who Receive Medication in Emergency Departments to Treat Opioid Use Disorder Do Not Sustain the Treatment
Most people who fill prescriptions from emergency physicians to treat their opioid use disorder do not continue to receive the medication, suggesting new approaches are needed to help people continue drug treatment begun on an emergency basis.
Mar 21, 2022
Report
Quality and Safety of Pain Care in the Military Health System
Pain is the leading cause of disability among active-duty service members. Given its potential impact on well-being and force readiness, providing high-quality treatment is a strategic priority. An assessment of outpatient care for acute and chronic pain, including opioid prescribing, can help the MHS continue to improve care.
Mar 16, 2022
Journal Article
Comparison of Hospital Claims and Poison Center Data to Evaluate Health Impact of Opioids, Cannabis and Synthetic Cannabinoids
This study demonstrates the differences in surveillance methodology for concurrent drug abuse epidemics using hospital claims and PC data. Both systems provide incomplete reports, but in combination can provide a more complete picture.
Mar 4, 2022
Journal Article
APCDs Can Provide Important Insights for Surveilling the Opioid Epidemic, With Caveats
We compared Colorado's all-payer claims databases with other state-level databases, using analyses comparing quarterly rates of opioid-involved inpatient and emergency department visits and rates of 30-day opioid fills.
Mar 4, 2022

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