USA. SAMHSA and FDA Issue New Dear Colleague Letter Promoting the Medication First Model
USA. SAMHSA and FDA Issue New Dear Colleague Letter Promoting the Medication First Model
The opioid crisis continues to be a pressing issue in the United States, with overdose deaths from opioids remaining extremely high. Passage of Section 1262 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, has made it easier for healthcare practitioners to provide buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD). This is a lifesaving intervention.
Patient-centered care should be at the heart of OUD treatment - While counseling and other services are important components of comprehensive treatment plans, they should not be prerequisites for receiving medication. SAMHSA and the FDA emphasize that healthcare practitioners must work collaboratively with patients, meeting them where they are, to create supportive and tailored treatment plans. (SAMHSA and FDA, USA, 09.05.2023)
https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/dear-colleague-letter-fda-samhsa.pdf