Evidence to Consider when Advising Patients on Buprenorphine Treatment Duration for Opioid Use Disorder

Retention on buprenorphine for opioid use disorder is known to be poor across health systems, despite established mortality benefits of treatment, and little is known about how to counsel patients who want to stop using buprenorphine or who have to stop due to barriers to ongoing care.

This webinar will consider what the evidence from a prescription opioid registry developed by NIDA Clinical Trials Network study CTN-0084 suggests for individuals who discontinue buprenorphine, including whether there was a length-of-treatment exposure associated with improved outcomes. Implications for patient education and shared decision-making will be considered. Understanding the optimal length of treatment after which individuals can safely discontinue buprenorphine could help patients better understand what treatment might look like at the outset, supporting informed decision-making and potentially improving both treatment retention and outcomes.

Learning objectives:

1. Describe at least two (2) key research findings relating to buprenorphine's effectiveness in reducing mortality.
2. Identify at least three (3) barriers to buprenorphine retention.
3. List at least two (2) key research findings relating to the length of treatment exposure and mortality in people who discontinue buprenorphine treatment.
4. Explain at least three (3) counseling messages for patients who wish to stop treatment regarding how long to stay on buprenorphine before considering a taper

This session is sponsored by the Northwest and Pacific Southwest ATTCs and the Western States Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network

1.5 CME/CE available for those who attend the live webinar session.