|
Opioid dependence is one of the fastest growing diseases in the United States today, yet less than 25% of this population receives any form of treatment.1
This opioid-dependence treatment gap is the result of several factors. Among them are insufficient treatment resources, limited access to treatment, the stigma associated with treatment, and under-diagnosis of the condition.1 Recognition of the urgent need for treatments that could transcend these obstacles was one of the primary reasons behind the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000), which opened the door for office-based treatment of opioid dependence. Physicians who meet the DATA 2000 qualifying criteria can now prescribe/dispense approved Schedule III-V medications (ie, opioids) for the treatment of opioid dependence in an office setting. The physician's role is changing, and the results are expected to change opioid dependence therapy for the better. Helping healthcare professionals to become more familiar with opioid dependence and its treatment is the first step in bringing this care back into the medical mainstream and ensuring that every patient who wants help for dependence can receive it. This website provides information for healthcare professionals about the biological basis of opioid dependence, the addictive potential of opioids, and advances in treatment for patients who suffer from this chronic disease.
Reference
|
 |