Buprenorphine is a prescription drug that can help treat symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal, as well as reduce the risk of a fatal overdose. However, a new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports has found pharmacies in racially and economically segregated neighborhoods are significantly less likely to dispense buprenorphine than pharmacies in more advantaged communities.
The study authors examined data from 858 community pharmacies from 473 counties across the United States. The research team called each participating pharmacy and inquired about getting a buprenorphine prescription filled. Upon analyzing their results, the authors found pharmacies in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods were over two times as likely as those in advantaged neighborhoods to restrict their buprenorphine prescriptions.
“These findings have critical policy implications, in that interventions must aim to strengthen capacity in both prescribing and dispensing to achieve equitable access to treatment,” write the authors. “Against the backdrop of a worsening overdose crisis, multilevel interventions are sorely needed to address persistent barriers to [medication for opioid use disorders] and advance pharmacoequity.”
The authors included researchers from Johns Hopkins University, Boise VA Medical Center in Iowa, Oregon Health & Science University, and Oregon State University.
