Providing Suboxone and PrEP Using Telemedicine

Summary

The purpose of this study is to provide medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) with buprenorphine and naloxone, or bup/nx, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention for persons who inject opioids accessing syringe services programs (SSPs), as part of a comprehensive harm reduction program, and assess the acceptability and feasibility of using telemedicine to implement the program. The initial visit will be conducted in person or remotely via telemedicine given COVID-19 protocols at the SSP sites in Charlotte and Wilmington, North Carolina (NC); follow-up visits will be conducted via telemedicine.

Timeline

Start

2020-11-09

Primary completion

2021-08-30

Completion

2021-08-30

Publications

• Background Mars SG, Bourgois P, Karandinos G, Montero F, Ciccarone D. "Every 'never' I ever said came true": transitions from opioid pills to heroin injecting. Int J Drug Policy. 2014 Mar;25(2):257-66. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2013.10.004. Epub 2013 Oct 19.
• Background Lankenau SE, Teti M, Silva K, Jackson Bloom J, Harocopos A, Treese M. Initiation into prescription opioid misuse amongst young injection drug users. Int J Drug Policy. 2012 Jan;23(1):37-44. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2011.05.014. Epub 2011 Jun 20.
• Background Young AM, Havens JR. Transition from first illicit drug use to first injection drug use among rural Appalachian drug users: a cross-sectional comparison and retrospective survival analysis. Addiction. 2012 Mar;107(3):587-96. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03635.x. Epub 2011 Oct 26.
• Background Al-Tayyib AA, Rice E, Rhoades H, Riggs P. Association between prescription drug misuse and injection among runaway and homeless youth. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014 Jan 1;134:406-409. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.10.027. Epub 2013 Nov 7.
• Background Valdez A, Neaigus A, Cepeda A. Potential risk factors for injecting among Mexican American non-injecting heroin users. J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2007;6(2):49-73. doi: 10.1300/J233v06n02_05.
• Background Choopanya K, Martin M, Suntharasamai P, Sangkum U, Mock PA, Leethochawalit M, Chiamwongpaet S, Kitisin P, Natrujirote P, Kittimunkong S, Chuachoowong R, Gvetadze RJ, McNicholl JM, Paxton LA, Curlin ME, Hendrix CW, Vanichseni S; Bangkok Tenofovir Study Group. Antiretroviral prophylaxis for HIV infection in injecting drug users in Bangkok, Thailand (the Bangkok Tenofovir Study): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2013 Jun 15;381(9883):2083-90. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61127-7. Epub 2013 Jun 13.
• Background Velander JR. Suboxone: Rationale, Science, Misconceptions. Ochsner J. 2018 Spring;18(1):23-29. No abstract available.
• Background Sullivan LE, Moore BA, Chawarski MC, Pantalon MV, Barry D, O'Connor PG, Schottenfeld RS, Fiellin DA. Buprenorphine/naloxone treatment in primary care is associated with decreased human immunodeficiency virus risk behaviors. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2008 Jul;35(1):87-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2007.08.004. Epub 2007 Oct 15.
• Background Bazzi AR, Biancarelli DL, Childs E, Drainoni ML, Edeza A, Salhaney P, Mimiaga MJ, Biello KB. Limited Knowledge and Mixed Interest in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention Among People Who Inject Drugs. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2018 Dec;32(12):529-537. doi: 10.1089/apc.2018.0126. Epub 2018 Oct 11.
• Background Edelman EJ, Moore BA, Calabrese SK, Berkenblit G, Cunningham C, Patel V, Phillips K, Tetrault JM, Shah M, Fiellin DA, Blackstock O. Primary Care Physicians' Willingness to Prescribe HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for People who Inject Drugs. AIDS Behav. 2017 Apr;21(4):1025-1033. doi: 10.1007/s10461-016-1612-6.
• Background Molfenter T, Fitzgerald M, Jacobson N, McCarty D, Quanbeck A, Zehner M. Barriers to Buprenorphine Expansion in Ohio: A Time-Elapsed Qualitative Study. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2019 Jul-Aug;51(3):272-279. doi: 10.1080/02791072.2019.1566583. Epub 2019 Feb 7.
• Background Haffajee RL, Lin LA, Bohnert ASB, Goldstick JE. Characteristics of US Counties With High Opioid Overdose Mortality and Low Capacity to Deliver Medications for Opioid Use Disorder. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Jun 5;2(6):e196373. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.6373.
• Background Zheng W, Nickasch M, Lander L, Wen S, Xiao M, Marshalek P, Dix E, Sullivan C. Treatment Outcome Comparison Between Telepsychiatry and Face-to-face Buprenorphine Medication-assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: A 2-Year Retrospective Data Analysis. J Addict Med. 2017 Mar/Apr;11(2):138-144. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000287.
• Background Weintraub E, Greenblatt AD, Chang J, Himelhoch S, Welsh C. Expanding access to buprenorphine treatment in rural areas with the use of telemedicine. Am J Addict. 2018 Dec;27(8):612-617. doi: 10.1111/ajad.12805. Epub 2018 Sep 28.
• Background Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Revised guidelines for HIV counseling, testing, and referral. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2001 Nov 9;50(RR-19):1-57; quiz CE1-19a1-CE6-19a1.
• McKellar MS, Des Marais AC, Chen H, Choi Y, Lilly R, Ayers D, Bennett J, Kestner L, Perry B, Poley S, Corneli A, Meade CS, Sachdeva N. Providing medication for opioid use disorder and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis at syringe services programs via telemedicine: a pilot study. Harm Reduct J. 2024 Mar 26;21(1):69. doi: 10.1186/s12954-024-00983-2.
• Corneli A, Perry B, Des Marais A, Choi Y, Chen H, Lilly R, Ayers D, Bennett J, Kestner L, Meade CS, Sachdeva N, McKellar MS. Participant perceptions on the acceptability and feasibility of a telemedicine-based HIV PrEP and buprenorphine/naloxone program embedded within syringe services programs: a qualitative descriptive evaluation. Harm Reduct J. 2022 Dec 3;19(1):132. doi: 10.1186/s12954-022-00718-1.

Drugs

Indications