How Red Tape Limits Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Author
Media Contact
For general and media inquiries and to book our experts, please contact: pr@rstreet.org
Background
Opioids were involved in more than 80,000 deaths in the United States in 2021, and between 3 million and 7.6 million Americans are living with or have had an opioid use disorder (OUD). Although medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is currently considered the gold-standard treatment, access remains limited. Research indicates that only about one in four people living with an OUD receive targeted, medication-based treatment. While many barriers to such treatment exist, ranging from the social stigma of drug use to limited geographic availability, overly strict regulation plays a key role in limiting access and presents an area for intervention.
Read the full study here.