Medication-based addiction treatment associated with sharp reduction in overdose deaths

Anti-opioid medication may be more effective in preventing overdoses and deaths from drug use than psychotherapy, according to new research. Looking at data from nearly 50,000 adults who were treated for opioid use disorder between 2015-2016 at outpatient facilities in Maryland, researchers found that those who were given medications such as methadone or buprenorphine — which are used to treat opioid addiction — were 82% less likely to die of overdoses than those who only underwent therapy, which is most often offered as a treatment option. However, after being discharged from treatment programs, both sets of patients had an equally high risk — more than fivefold — of dying from overdoses. The authors therefore suggest that efforts to combat opioid addiction ought to ensure that those with opioid use disorder can access long-term medication-based treatment.