Seattle Times covers ‘game-changing’ new treatment for opioid use disorder developed by DESC’s Opioid Treatment Network (OTN)
On Sunday, The Seattle Times published an article by Greg Kim and Hannah Furfaro showcasing a big step forward in treating opioid use disorder, developed by our Opioid Treatment Network (OTN) team.
The OTN team developed a method that allows people with opioid use disorder to more easily start and stick with buprenorphine, a gold-standard medication treatment for this type of substance use disorder. This protocol enables us to more easily administer long-acting injectable medication for opioid use disorder — primarily affecting individuals using fentanyl — in a way that some other medical professionals are calling a “game-changer.”
Early results have been promising. More than 70 percent of people who started treatment using our new method made it to their second month of care — more than three times the success rate we were seeing with previous methods, and that another published study had shown.
During our evaluation period last year, over 120 people began treatment using this new approach, and the majority are still on the path to recovery today.
The impact has been deeply personal, too.
OTN client Kimberly Coil, featured in the article, overcame 30 years of opioid addiction and is now in remission, living in one of our permanent supportive housing sites. She called the treatment “nothing short of a miracle.”
Word is spreading quickly, and interest in the program is growing every day, to the extent that our program may need to limit the number of new clients as we reach capacity.
This is what innovation in treatment looks like. It’s what’s possible when we meet people where they are and offer the right support at the right time. We are proud of our OTN team for leading with compassion and courage, and grateful for the ongoing support from our community that makes this kind of pioneering work possible.
Take a moment to read and share this article with others who are committed to ending the opioid crisis and supporting real, effective solutions for those suffering.
Read the research study published by the JAMA Network here.