Stein MD, VanNoppen D, Herman DS, et al. - Considering that in the current era of overdose epidemic, improvement in treatment access and reduction of treatment discontinuation might be achieved with the help of effective treatments for opioid use disorders (OUD), including innovations in medication delivery such as extended-release formulations, researchers herein examined treatment retention among patients who moved from daily sublingual to extended-release monthly buprenorphine (BUP-XR) in a primary care–based, extended-release buprenorphine program.

• A total of 92 individuals (mean age: 38 years old; 67% male) who transitioned from sublingual buprenorphine to extended-release buprenorphine (BUP-XR) were recruited.

• Discontinuation of BUP-XR treatment was recorded in 48% of extended-release buprenorphine patients after 3 months of transition.

• Even with monthly injections, retention continues to represent a major obstacle to MOUD treatment effectiveness.