Emergency Medical Services Buprenorphine: Just Because They Can?
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Susan N. Miller; Theodore R. Delbridge
- Source
- Ann Emerg Med
- Subject
- Emergency Medical Services
business.industry
Narcotic Antagonists
MEDLINE
Opioid-Related Disorders
medicine.disease
Article
Buprenorphine
Emergency Medicine
medicine
Emergency medical services
Humans
Medical emergency
business
medicine.drug
- Language
- ISSN
- 0196-0644
Treatment with buprenorphine significantly reduces both all-cause and overdose mortality among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Offering buprenorphine treatment to individuals that experience a non-fatal opioid overdose represents an opportunity to reduce opioid overdose fatalities. Although some emergency departments (ED) initiate buprenorphine treatment, many individuals who experience an overdose either refuse transport to the ED or are transported to an ED that does not offer buprenorphine. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals can help address this treatment gap. In this concept paper, we describe the federal legal landscape that governs the ability of EMS professionals to administer buprenorphine treatment, and discuss state and local regulatory considerations relevant to this promising and emerging practice.