Support for buprenorphine and methadone prescription to heroin-dependent patients among New York City physicians.
Methadone and buprenorphine are treatments for heroin-dependent patients. Methadone is available through highly-regulated treatment centers while buprenorphine was approved in 2002 for prescription by certified physicians. Just prior to the approval of buprenorphine, we conducted a random postal survey of 770 physicians in New York City to determine willingness to prescribe methadone or buprenorphine for heroin-dependent patients to be picked up at a pharmacy. Among 247 respondents, 36.3% would consider prescribing methadone and 17.9% were unsure, while 25.8% would consider prescribing buprenorphine and 31.8% were unsure. Willingness to prescribe methadone or buprenorphine was associated with more recent year of licensure (p = 0.044; p = 0.033), working in a hospital or clinic as opposed to an office setting (p = 0.009; p = 0.024), and being the director of a clinic or program (p = 0.031; p = 0.008). This preliminary study suggests that a substantial proportion of New York City physicians would prescribe methadone or buprenorphine to heroin-dependent patients.
Coffin
Phillip O
PO
New York Academy of Medicine, New York, New York, 10029, USA. poc2@columbia.edu
Blaney
Shannon
S
Fuller
Crystal
C
Vadnai
Liza
L
Miller
Sarah
S
Vlahov
David
D
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D002047:Buprenorphine; D008691:Methadone