Abuse and Diversion of Buprenorphine Sublingual Tablets and Film

Author(s)

Eric J. Lavonas, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital AuthorityFollow
Stevan G. Severtson, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital AuthorityFollow
Erin M. Martinez, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital AuthorityFollow
Becki Bucher-Bartelson, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital AuthorityFollow
Marie-Claire Le Lait, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital AuthorityFollow
Jody L. Green, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital AuthorityFollow
Lenn E. Murrelle, Venebio GroupFollow
Theodore J. Cicero, Washington University in St. LouisFollow
Steven P. Kurtz, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Andrew Rosenblum, Institute for Treatment and Services Research, National Development and Research InstitutesFollow
Hilary L. Surratt, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Richard C. Dart, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health and Hospital AuthorityFollow

ORCID ID

0000-0002-5891-1451, 0000-0003-1776-6400, 0000-0002-7929-3744, 0000-0002-4716-3398, 0000-0002-7372-9447, 0000-0003-4027-7840, 0000-0001-5989-9354

ResearcherID

AAF-7461-2020, H-3010-2014, K-3072-2014

Publication Title

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment

ISSN

0740-5472

Publication Date

7-1-2014

Abstract

Buprenorphine abuse is common worldwide. Rates of abuse and diversion of three sublingual buprenorphine formulations (single ingredient tablets; naloxone combination tablets and film) were compared. Data were obtained from the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance (RADARS) System Poison Center, Drug Diversion, Opioid Treatment (OTP), Survey of Key Informants' Patients (SKIP), and College Survey Programs through December 2012. To control for drug availability, event ratios (rates) were calculated quarterly, based on the number of patients filling prescriptions for each formulation ("unique recipients of a dispensed drug," URDD) and averaged and compared using negative binomial regression. Abuse rates in the OTP, SKIP, and College Survey Programs were greatest for single ingredient tablets, and abuse rates in the Poison Center Program and illicit diversion rates were greatest for the combination tablets. Combination film rates were significantly less than rates for either tablet formulation in all programs. No geographic pattern could be discerned.

DOI

10.1016/j.jsat.2014.02.003

Volume

47

Issue

1

First Page

27

Last Page

34

NSUWorks Citation

Lavonas, E. J., Severtson, S. G., Martinez, E. M., Bucher-Bartelson, B., Le Lait, M., Green, J. L., Murrelle, L. E., Cicero, T. J., Kurtz, S. P., Rosenblum, A., Surratt, H. L., & Dart, R. C. (2014). Abuse and Diversion of Buprenorphine Sublingual Tablets and Film. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 47 (1), 27-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2014.02.003