Practical use of long-acting injectable buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence

This two-part activity provides education on the various long-acting buprenorphine (LAIB) formulations available in Australia, followed by a practical exercise where the learner goes through the steps of assessing whether a patient is suitable for LAIB treatment, and discusses with them how treatment may help them achieve their goals.

This is the second module in a two-part series for more experienced practitioners; for those new to the topic of opioid dependence, we recommend first enrolling in module 1 Long-acting injectable buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence

This activity is only available to Australian general practitioners who are able to prescribe LAIB in line with their state or territory requirements.

Upon completion of this module the participant should be able to:

• Explain the characteristic features of opioid dependence, and common illicit and licit opioid drugs that can cause dependence and addiction and their associated harms.
• Outline the challenges faced by opioid dependent patients who attend a pharmacy or clinic for regular supervised dosing of opioid agonist therapy (OAT).
• Outline the benefits of becoming an OAT prescriber, and identify ways in which long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) products may mitigate some of the concerns and challenges around daily dosing.
• Determine the differences between different LAIB formulations.

This activity is sponsored by Camurus.