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Excluding the most vulnerable from equitable care: NY's ‘deal with Indivior’
Author(s) -
Waldman Justine
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
alcoholism and drug abuse weekly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7591
pISSN - 1042-1394
DOI - 10.1002/adaw.32902
Subject(s) - buprenorphine , heroin , fentanyl , opioid use disorder , opioid overdose , pandemic , opiate , medicine , prison , covid-19 , psychiatry , opioid , criminology , medical emergency , psychology , pharmacology , drug , receptor , (+) naloxone , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
During the COVID‐19 pandemic, New York state made a deal with Indivior, maker of Suboxone, to save money, at the risk of harming more people in the state living with opioid use disorder (OUD). This decision presents a major challenge for people with OUD, especially in the midst of a worsening opioid epidemic that is compounded by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Buprenorphine, a critical component of the drug Suboxone, is a life‐saving medication for people with OUD. It works by having a high affinity for the receptor that binds opiates — thereby kicking other opiates (fentanyl, heroin) off, and reducing the likelihood of overdose. Once on the receptor, the patient does not feel cravings or withdrawal. Unlike a regular opiate, buprenorphine has a ceiling effect that means it is very unlikely to cause an overdose.