Time for Australia to increase take away doses in opioid agonist treatment

Grace FitzGerald; Paul MacCartney; Jon Cook; Sione Crawford; Thileepan Naren

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104420

Time for Australia to increase take away doses in opioid agonist treatment

Int J Drug Policy. 2024 Apr 12:127:104420. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104420. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Grace FitzGerald¹, Paul MacCartney², Jon Cook³, Sione Crawford⁴, Thileepan Naren⁵

Affiliations

¹ Drug Health Services, Western Health, 3-7 Eleanor St, Footscray, VIC 3031, Australia. Electronic address: Grace.FitzGerald@wh.org.au.
² Cohealth Innerspace, 4-6 Johnston St, Collingwood, VIC 3066, Australia.
³ Drug Health Services, Western Health, 3-7 Eleanor St, Footscray, VIC 3031, Australia.
⁴ Harm Reduction Victoria, 299-305 Victoria St, Brunswick, VIC 3056, Australia.
⁵ Drug Health Services, Western Health, 3-7 Eleanor St, Footscray, VIC 3031, Australia; Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.

PMID: 38614016
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104420

Abstract

Opioid Agonist Treatment is the cornerstone of minimising harms related to opioid use, however its uptake is limited by a tightly regulated and stigmatising treatment environment. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated relaxation of some treatment restrictions, with global evidence pointing to more patient-centred care in this time. In light of local evidence to support the safety of increased access to takeaway doses and a precedent set by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, we recommend adoption of the Australian Interim Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence guidance in Australia.

Keywords: COVID-19; Opioid substitution therapy; Opioid use disorder; Takeaway doses.