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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

Periodical
RAND Review: January-February 2023
This issue explores the inadequacies of the current system of space governance; China's presence in the Arctic; abortion in the U.S. post-Dobbs; and the security and technology challenges related to Taiwan's domination of the microchip industry.
Jan 6, 2023
Journal Article
Perspectives Regarding Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among Individuals with Mental Illness
Clients at publicly-funded mental health clinics support MOUD treatment, signaling a need to expand access and build awareness of MOUDs in these settings.
Jan 4, 2023
Commentary
Ten Things That Inspired Me in 2022
It would be impossible to capture all the important work that RAND does in a year. But RAND president and CEO Jason Matheny has compiled ten times he was inspired by RAND's efforts to bring insight to some of the biggest policy stories of 2022.
Dec 15, 2022
Blog
The Racial Wealth Gap, the Effects of Long COVID, Teacher Diversity: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on understanding the racial wealth gap, why long COVID may threaten the U.S. economy, what prevents people of color from becoming and staying teachers, and more.
Dec 9, 2022
Journal Article
Buprenorphine Treatment Episode Duration, Dosage, and Concurrent Prescribing of Benzodiazepines and Opioid Analgesics: The Effects of Medicaid Prior Authorization Policies
Researchers used Medicaid claims during the period 2006–2013 to investigate the relationship between buprenorphine prior authorization requirements and changes in treatment in the years following policy implementation.
Dec 8, 2022
Journal Article
Trends in the Concurrent Prescription of Opioids and Gabapentin in the US, 2006 to 2018
Researchers examined 2006 to 2018 US national deidentified pharmacy claims data and analyzed trends in concurrent gabapentin and opioid prescribing, overall and by prescriber, patient, and county characteristics.
Dec 8, 2022
Journal Article
Discontinuation of Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder During the Coronavirus Disease-2019 Pandemic: A Multilevel Framework
Researchers examined IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Claims data and assessed predictors of buprenorphine discontinuation in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (April–July 2020) compared with a pre-pandemic period (April–July 2019).
Dec 8, 2022
News Release
Buprenorphine Use Remained Stable During First Year of Pandemic, but New Prescriptions Dropped During Period
The number of active prescriptions for the opioid disorder treatment drug buprenorphine remained constant during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the number of new prescriptions for the treatment was far below what would normally have been expected.
Dec 7, 2022
Journal Article
Trends in Out-of-Pocket Costs for Naloxone by Drug Brand and Payer in the US, 2010–2018
The findings suggest that the out-of-pocket cost of naloxone has been an increasingly substantial barrier to naloxone access for uninsured patients, a population that constitutes nearly one-fifth of adults with opioid use disorder.
Oct 27, 2022
Journal Article
The Impact of the Affordable Care Act Insurance Expansions on Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visits
We leverage ACA coverage expansions to study the impact of health insurance on opioid-related emergency department visits while accounting for potentially confounding changes in relevant state-level policies.
Oct 27, 2022
Journal Article
A National Retrospective Study of Antidepressants' Effects on Overdose and Self-Harm Among Adults Treated With Opioid Analgesics
Individuals with a history of depression who received opioid analgesics had a significantly lower risk for overdose and self-harm after they had been taking antidepressants for at least 6 weeks.
Oct 19, 2022
Journal Article
Laws for Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: A Legal Analysis of 16 States & Washington D.C.
This study reports on the results of a qualitative analysis that identified and categorized state medications for opioid use disorder related statutes and regulations in a stratified random sample of 16 states and Washington D.C.
Oct 7, 2022
Journal Article
Expert Panel Consensus on State-Level Policies to Improve Engagement and Retention in Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
This qualitative study used the ExpertLens online platform to conduct a 3-round modified Delphi process to examine expert consensus on the effectiveness and the ability to implement state-level OUD treatment policies.
Oct 7, 2022
Journal Article
Expert Views on State-Level Naloxone Access Laws: A Qualitative Analysis of an Online Modified-Delphi Process
This qualitative study conducted a three-round modified-Delphi process using the online ExpertLens platform. Researchers identified and summarized the views of experts on state-level naloxone access laws.
Oct 7, 2022
Journal Article
Changes in Buprenorphine and Methadone Supplies in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This cross-sectional study found that the per capita supply of methadone declined significantly in the second quarter of 2020 and had not returned to 2019 levels as of June 2021. The per capita supply of buprenorphine increased during the same period.
Sep 30, 2022
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

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