Treating Opioid Use Disorder, Infectious Diseases in an Integrated Way

The opioid epidemic in the U.S. is driving a simultaneous epidemic of infectious diseases— including HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and bacterial infections, and sexually transmitted infections— but workforce shortages, stigma, and administrative burdens are preventing the integration of opioid use disorder (OUD) and infectious disease services, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It recommends a number of state and federal policy actions to address those barriers, including removing insurance requirements on prescribing medications for OUD (i.e., buprenorphine), expanding access to medications in criminal justice settings, and lifting state bans on syringe service programs.Read More
Source: News from the National Academies - Category: Science Source Type: news