Newswise — On August 17, in response to a national rise in fatal heroin overdoses, the White House announced a new Heroin Response Strategy. The program would initially be funded for $2.5 million by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy through five “high-intensity drug trafficking areas” and cover 15 states, administration officials said. The plan would focus on tracing the sources of heroin, where fentanyl—a deadly additive blamed for a rising share of deaths—is being added. The plan also pairs law enforcement officials with public health workers in an effort to address the causes of the problem.
While this initiative is praiseworthy, some believe the issue of heroin abuse can be more effectively addressed by focusing on a separate type of effort: improved medical treatments for prescription opioid abuse. This is because the abuse of prescription opioids is fueling the rise in heroin addiction, as a growing number of people who start abusing the relatively expensive prescription drugs are switching to heroin, which is cheaper and easier to buy.
As part of the solution to this issue, BioDelivery Sciences President and CEO Dr. Mark Sirgo has overseen the development and commercialization of the first FDA-approved formulation of buprenorphine for buccal (inside the cheek) administration for the maintenance treatment of opioid addiction. Buprenorphine has long been recognized as an effective tool to combat opioid addiction.
The product’s bioerodible polymer film is designed for application to the mucosal membranes, and allows for the efficient delivery of buprenorphine while potentially overcoming some of the administration challenges presented by sublingual dosage forms. For example, unlike sublingual forms of the drug, it does not need to be kept in place under the tongue, so it is more convenient for patients to talk, swallow and go about their normal daily activities. It also means less drug is swallowed, which has been shown in studies to reduce the incidence of certain side effects such as constipation.
The drug has twice the absorption of buprenorphine compared to the market leader in this category, and naloxone is included as an abuse deterrent. As a result of the improved absorption of buprenorphine, plasma concentrations of buprenorphine can be achieved with half the dose, which may help to reduce the potential for misuse and diversion of the drug.
While there has been a lot of debate about how to handle the increasing numbers of those addicted to opioids, experts can all agree that the best option for treatment involves medication combined with counseling and psychosocial support.
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