Pew Calls for Regulatory Changes to Improve Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Expanded telehealth, support of medication-only approaches, and better screening could enhance outcomes

Pew Calls for Regulatory Changes to Improve Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

The Pew Charitable Trusts sent comments on Feb. 10 to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in response to proposed regulations seeking to improve care at opioid treatment programs (OTPs), the only health care facilities able to offer all three forms of medication for opioid use disorder.

Pew’s comments focus on allowing OTPs to support medication-only approaches, designating jails and prisons as health care facilities that can dispense methadone, expanding telehealth flexibilities, and screening individuals beginning treatment at OTPs for imminent risk of harm to themselves and referring them to appropriate care, among other recommendations.   

America’s Overdose Crisis
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37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

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Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

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How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?