Opioid use and COVID-19: a secondary analysis of the impact of relaxation of methadone take-home dosing guidelines on use of illicit opioids

references

• Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) guidance [ press release]. 2020.
   Google Scholar
• Methadone take-home flexibilities extension guidance. In: Administration SAaMHS, editor. 2022.
   Google Scholar
• Figgatt MC, Salazar Z, Day E, Vincent L, Dasgupta N. Take-home dosing experiences among persons receiving methadone maintenance treatment during COVID-19. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;123:108276. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108276.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Amram O, Amiri S, Thorn EL, Lutz R, Joudrey PJ. Changes in methadone take-home dosing before and after COVID-19. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;133:108552. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108552.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hunter SB, Dopp AR, Ober AJ, Uscher-Pines L. Clinician perspectives on methadone service delivery and the use of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;124:108288. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108288.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Joseph G, Torres-Lockhart K, Stein MR, Mund PA, Nahvi S. Reimagining patient-centered care in opioid treatment programs: lessons from the Bronx during COVID-19. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;122:108219. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108219.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hoffman KA, Foot C, Levander XA, Cook R, Terashima JP, McIlveen JW, Korthuis PT, McCarty D. Treatment retention, return to use, and recovery support following COVID-19 relaxation of methadone take-home dosing in two rural opioid treatment programs: a mixed methods analysis. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2022;141:108801. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2022.108801.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McIlveen JW, Hoffman K, Priest KC, Choi D, Korthuis PT, McCarty D. Reduction in Oregon’s medication dosing visits after the SARS-CoV-2 relaxation of restrictions on take-home medication. J Addict Med. 2021;15:516–18. doi:10.1097/ADM.0000000000000812.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Treitler PC, Bowden CF, Lloyd J, Enich M, Nyaku AN, Crystal S. Perspectives of opioid use disorder treatment providers during COVID-19: adapting to flexibilities and sustaining reforms. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;132:108514. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108514.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hatch-Maillette MA, Peavy KM, Tsui JI, Banta-Green CJ, Woolworth S, Grekin P. Re-thinking patient stability for methadone in opioid treatment programs during a global pandemic: provider perspectives. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;124:108223. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108223.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Goldsamt LA, Rosenblum A, Appel P, Paris P, Nazia N. The impact of COVID-19 on opioid treatment programs in the United States. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021;228:109049. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109049.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Madden EF, Christian BT, Lagisetty PA, Ray BR, Sulzer SH. Treatment provider perceptions of take-home methadone regulation before and during COVID-19. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021;228:109100. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109100.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Frank D. A chance to do it better: methadone maintenance treatment in the age of Covid-19. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;123:108246. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108246.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Harris MTH, Lambert AM, Maschke AD, Bagley SM, Walley AY, Gunn CM. “No home to take methadone to”: experiences with addiction services during the COVID-19 pandemic among survivors of opioid overdose in Boston. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;135:108655. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108655.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Suen LW, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Satterwhite S, Knight KR “The idea is to help people achieve greater success and liberty”: a qualitative study of expanded methadone take-home access in opioid use disorder treatment. medRxiv. 2021: 2021.08.20.21262382.
   Google Scholar
• Walters SM, Perlman DC, Guarino H, Mateu-Gelabert P, Frank D. Lessons from the first wave of COVID-19 for improved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment: benefits of easier access, extended take homes, and new delivery modalities. Subst Use Misuse. 2022;57:1144–53. doi:10.1080/10826084.2022.2064509.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Amram O, Amiri S, Panwala V, Lutz R, Joudrey P, Socias E. The impact of relaxation of methadone take-home protocols on treatment outcomes in the COVID-19 era. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2021;47:722–29. doi:10.1080/00952990.2021.1979991.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Brothers S, Viera A, Heimer R. Changes in methadone program practices and fatal methadone overdose rates in Connecticut during COVID-19. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;131:108449. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108449.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Jones CM, Compton WM, Han B, Baldwin G, Volkow ND. Methadone-involved overdose deaths in the US before and after federal policy changes expanding take-home methadone doses from opioid treatment programs. JAMA Psychiarty. 2022;79:932. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.1776.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Federal guidelines for opioid treatment programs. In: Services DoHaH, editor. Rockville (MD): Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration; 2015. p. 82.
   Google Scholar
• Kale N. Urine drug tests: ordering and interpreting results. Am Fam Physician. 2019;99:33–39.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Niles JK, Gudin J, Radcliff J, Kaufman HW. The opioid epidemic within the COVID-19 pandemic: drug testing in 2020. Popul Health Manage. 2021;24:S43–S51. doi:10.1089/pop.2020.0230.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pytell JD, Rastegar DA. Down the drain: reconsidering routine urine drug testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;120:108155. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108155.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Khatri UG, Aronowitz SV. Considering the harms of our habits: the reflexive urine drug screen in opioid use disorder treatment. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;123:108258. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108258.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Issue brief: Nation’s drug-related overdose and death epidemic continues to worsen [press release]. American Medical Association; 2022 Feb 15.
   Google Scholar
• Drug Overdose Deaths in the U.S. Top 100,000 Annually [press release]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2021 Nov 17.
   Google Scholar
• U.S. Overdose Deaths in 2021 Increased Half as Much as in 2020 - but are still up 15% [ press release]. CDC: National Center for Health Statistics; 2022 May 11.
   Google Scholar
• Mann B Overdose deaths surged in pandemic, as more drugs were laced with fentanyl. NPR. 2021 Apr 22.
   Google Scholar
• Ciccarone D. The rise of illicit fentanyls, stimulants and the fourth wave of the opioid overdose crisis. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2021;34:344–50. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000717.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Liu X, Jin X, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Li Y, Ma J. Effect of Coronavirus disease 2019 on the psychology and behavior of patients on methadone maintenance treatment in Wuhan, China: a clinical observational study. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.653662.
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lintzeris N, Deacon RM, Hayes V, Cowan T, Mills L, Parvaresh L, Harvey Dodds L, Jansen L, Dojcinovic R, Leung MC, et al. Opioid agonist treatment and patient outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in south east Sydney, Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2022;41:1009–19.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bart G, Wastvedt S, Hodges JS, Rosenthal R. Did drug use increase following COVID-19 relaxation of methadone take-out regulations? 2020 was a complicated year. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2021;133:108590. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108590.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Amram O, Amiri S, Panwala V, Lutz R, Joudrey PJ, Socias E. The impact of relaxation of methadone take-home protocols on treatment outcomes in the COVID-19 era. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2021;47:1–8. doi:10.1080/00952990.2021.1979991.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• QuickFacts: Spokane, Washington [Internet]. U.S. Census Bureau. 2019. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/spokanecitywashington.
   Google Scholar
• Czeisler M, Lane R, Petrosky E, Wiley JF, Christensen A, Njai R, Weaver MD, Robbins R, Facer-Childs ER, Barger LK, et al. Mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic — United States, June 24–30, 2020. CDC. 2020 Aug 14;69:1049–57. Contract No.: 32. 10.15585/mmwr.mm6932a1
   Google Scholar
• Frank D, Mateu-Gelabert P, Perlman DC, Walters SM, Curran L, Guarino H. “It’s like ‘liquid handcuffs”: the effects of take-home dosing policies on Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) patients’ lives. Harm Reduct J. 2021;18:88. doi:10.1186/s12954-021-00535-y.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Amiri S, McDonell MG, Denney JT, Buchwald D, Amram O. Disparities in access to opioid treatment programs and office-based buprenorphine treatment across the rural-urban and area deprivation continua: a US nationwide small area analysis. Value Health. 2021;24:188–95. doi:10.1016/j.jval.2020.08.2098.
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• National Academies of Sciences E, Medicine. Barriers to broader use of medications to treat opioid use disorder. In: Leshner AI, Mancher M, editors. Medications for opioid use disorder save lives. Washington (DC): The National Academies Press; 2019. p. 174.
   Google Scholar
• Madras BK, Ahmad NJ, Wen J, Sharfstein J. Improving access to evidence-based medical treatment for opioid use disorder: strategies to address key barriers within the treatment system. NAM Perspectives. 2020. doi:10.31478/202004b.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Saulle R, Vecchi S, Gowing L. Supervised dosing with a long-acting opioid medication in the management of opioid dependence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;4:Cd011983. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011983.pub2.
   PubMedGoogle Scholar