“You’re Hoping for the Best, but Preparing for the Worst”: Discussions of Starting Buprenorphine in the Context of Fentanyl Use with Clinicians and People Who Use Fentanyl - Takeaways - MDSpire

“You’re Hoping for the Best, but Preparing for the Worst”: Discussions of Starting Buprenorphine in the Context of Fentanyl Use with Clinicians and People Who Use Fentanyl

  • By

  • Elenore P. Bhatraju

  • Olivia L. Gregorich

  • Kevin A. Hallgren

  • Emily C. Williams

  • Geetanjali Chander

  • Judith I. Tsui

  • March 30, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    Opioid-related deaths in the USA reached approximately 60,000 in 2024, highlighting a critical need for effective treatment of opioid use disorder.

  • 2

    Buprenorphine, approved in 2002, is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder but is underutilized, with only 25% of affected individuals receiving it.

  • 3

    Concerns about precipitated withdrawal from fentanyl complicate buprenorphine initiation, increasing anxiety among both clinicians and patients.

  • 4

    The study utilized semi-structured interviews with clinicians and people who use fentanyl to explore barriers and facilitators to initiating buprenorphine.

  • 5

    Qualitative insights from the study aim to inform best practices and address knowledge gaps in buprenorphine prescribing for individuals using fentanyl.

Original Source(s)

“You’re Hoping for the Best, but Preparing for the Worst”: Discussions of Starting Buprenorphine in the Context of Fentanyl Use with Clinicians and People Who Use Fentanyl

  • by Elenore P. Bhatraju, Olivia L. Gregorich, Kevin A. Hallgren, Emily C. Williams, Geetanjali Chander, Judith I. Tsui

  • March 30, 2026

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