Overview of the Research

Opioid use disorder is a major public health issue in the United States. An integrated and evidence-based treatment approach for individuals with an OUD combines medications for OUD (MOUD) with counseling and behavioral therapies. However, this integrated treatment especially access to MOUD has not kept up with increased demand and new treatment approaches are needed. One approach is for community pharmacists to provide injectable naltrexone, an approved and effective MOUD treatment. Community pharmacies are more geographically accessible, and in some states, pharmacists have legal authority to administer the injection.

The overall goal of our Community Pharmacy and the Opioid Epidemic projects is to explore the role of the community pharmacy in addressing the opioid crisis in Wisconsin.