Partnership to End Addiction

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Methadone has proven to be one of the most effective treatments for
opioid use disorder, but despite record numbers of overdose deaths,
access to the medication remains limited due to outdated federal
requirements that are rooted in stigma and unnecessarily restrict
access to this lifesaving medication.

Rather than visiting a doctor and pharmacy to be prescribed the
medication, as is done for other medications (including methadone when
prescribed for pain), patients with opioid use disorder must make
daily trips to specific clinics - known as opioid treatment
programs (OTPs) - to receive methadone. This can make it
difficult for patients to maintain employment or education, and
transportation, child care, and other responsibilities can pose
barriers to access. Further, these requirements add to the stigma
surrounding addiction and its treatment, which may discourage those in
need from seeking care.

Lynda McDonald's son, for example, wanted to seek treatment
after becoming a father. However, the requirement to go to the clinic
every day during limited hours was difficult with his work schedule.
When he was unable to attend meetings, he was denied medication, and
he was not allowed to take home any doses. Despite his desire for
treatment, he eventually stopped going to the clinic after more than a
year, deciding that receiving the medication was more of a burden than
a help.

Seeking treatment should not be a burden.

The Opioid Treatment Access Act (H.R. 6279/S. 3629) would remove some
of the barriers to improve access to methadone treatment by:

* Allowing prescribers to prescribe up to one-month take-home
doses to be dispensed at a pharmacy
* Shortening the timeline for patients to receive take-home
methadone
* Requiring a study on the impact of prescribing flexibilities
provided during COVID-19 that have allowed patients to take home
up to 14-or 28-day-supplies of methadone
* Permanently allowing OTPs to operate mobile components without
separate registrations
* Encouraging states to similarly reform their OTP regulations and
break down barriers to care

Send a letter to your members of Congress encouraging them to support
the Opioid Treatment Access Act to increase access to life-saving
treatment for those, like Lynda's son, with
opioid addiction.

Act Now
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People and families struggling with substance use and addiction
encounter a variety of systemic challenges throughout their journey,
which is why we created a new section of our website called "Help Us
Change the Story of Addiction." The site features personal
stories like Lynda's that bring these structural barriers to
life. Each story offers visitors an opportunity to advocate for policy
change by signing an action alert or by sharing similar stories from
their own journey.

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Let's change the story of addiction today.

Read Lynda's story

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Partnership to End Addiction

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