Abuse and diversion of buprenorphine sublingual tablets and film

Eric J. Lavonas; S. Geoffrey Severtson; Erin M. Martinez; Becki Bucher-Bartelson; Marie Claire Le Lait; Jody L. Green; Lenn E. Murrelle; Theodore J. Cicero; Steven P. Kurtz; Andrew Rosenblum; Hilary L. Surratt; Richard C. Dart

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2014.02.003

Abuse and diversion of buprenorphine sublingual tablets and film

Eric J. Lavonas, S. Geoffrey Severtson, Erin M. Martinez, Becki Bucher-Bartelson, Marie Claire Le Lait, Jody L. Green, Lenn E. Murrelle, Theodore J. Cicero, Steven P. Kurtz, Andrew Rosenblum, Hilary L. Surratt, Richard C. Dart

Behavioral Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

82 Scopus citations

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	27-34
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume	47
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2014.02.003
State	Published - Jul 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Financial Support: This research was funded by a grant from Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals to the Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA), a Colorado governmental entity, which operates the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance (RADARS ® ) System. This study was conceived, designed, executed, and written by the authors, who had sole control over the data and over the decision to publish. Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals received only the right to review the completed manuscript for proprietary information. The DHHA has research and/or consulting agreements with Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals and the manufacturers of several generic buprenorphine sublingual products.

Funding Information:
Operation of the RADARS System is supported in part by NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSI Grant Number UL1 TR000154. Contents are the authors' sole responsibility and do not necessarily represent official NIH views. This study was not directly supported by the NIH/CTSI grant.

Funding Information:
Drs. Lavonas, Severtson, Bucher-Bartelson, Green, and Dart, Ms. Martinez, and Ms. Le Lait are employees of the DHHA. No DHHA employee receives bonus or incentive compensation related to the performance of any research grant or contract, and these authors report no additional conflicts of interest. Dr. Murrelle is a Principal of Venebio Group, LLC, which has research and consulting agreements with Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, and reports no additional conflicts of interest. Drs. Cicero, Kurtz, Rosenblum, and Surratt receive grant funding from the RADARS System to their institutions, and report no additional conflicts of interest.

Funding

Financial Support: This research was funded by a grant from Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals to the Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA), a Colorado governmental entity, which operates the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance (RADARS ® ) System. This study was conceived, designed, executed, and written by the authors, who had sole control over the data and over the decision to publish. Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals received only the right to review the completed manuscript for proprietary information. The DHHA has research and/or consulting agreements with Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals and the manufacturers of several generic buprenorphine sublingual products. Operation of the RADARS System is supported in part by NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSI Grant Number UL1 TR000154. Contents are the authors' sole responsibility and do not necessarily represent official NIH views. This study was not directly supported by the NIH/CTSI grant. Drs. Lavonas, Severtson, Bucher-Bartelson, Green, and Dart, Ms. Martinez, and Ms. Le Lait are employees of the DHHA. No DHHA employee receives bonus or incentive compensation related to the performance of any research grant or contract, and these authors report no additional conflicts of interest. Dr. Murrelle is a Principal of Venebio Group, LLC, which has research and consulting agreements with Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, and reports no additional conflicts of interest. Drs. Cicero, Kurtz, Rosenblum, and Surratt receive grant funding from the RADARS System to their institutions, and report no additional conflicts of interest.

Funders	Funder number
Department of Emergency Medicine Denver Health and Hospital Authority Denver CO.
NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSI	UL1 TR000154
RADARS System
Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)	UL1TR000154
Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute

Keywords

Buprenorphine
Drug abuse
Drug formulations
Substance-related disorders

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Psychiatric Mental Health
Medicine (miscellaneous)
Clinical Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jsat.2014.02.003

Cite this

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title = "Abuse and diversion of buprenorphine sublingual tablets and film",

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{\textregistered}) 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.",

keywords = "Buprenorphine, Drug abuse, Drug formulations, Substance-related disorders",

author = "Lavonas, {Eric J.} and Severtson, {S. Geoffrey} and Martinez, {Erin M.} and Becki Bucher-Bartelson and {Le Lait}, {Marie Claire} and Green, {Jody L.} and Murrelle, {Lenn E.} and Cicero, {Theodore J.} and Kurtz, {Steven P.} and Andrew Rosenblum and Surratt, {Hilary L.} and Dart, {Richard C.}",

note = "Funding Information: Financial Support: This research was funded by a grant from Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals to the Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA), a Colorado governmental entity, which operates the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance (RADARS {\textregistered} ) System. This study was conceived, designed, executed, and written by the authors, who had sole control over the data and over the decision to publish. Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals received only the right to review the completed manuscript for proprietary information. The DHHA has research and/or consulting agreements with Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals and the manufacturers of several generic buprenorphine sublingual products. Funding Information: Operation of the RADARS System is supported in part by NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSI Grant Number UL1 TR000154. Contents are the authors' sole responsibility and do not necessarily represent official NIH views. This study was not directly supported by the NIH/CTSI grant. Funding Information: Drs. Lavonas, Severtson, Bucher-Bartelson, Green, and Dart, Ms. Martinez, and Ms. Le Lait are employees of the DHHA. No DHHA employee receives bonus or incentive compensation related to the performance of any research grant or contract, and these authors report no additional conflicts of interest. Dr. Murrelle is a Principal of Venebio Group, LLC, which has research and consulting agreements with Reckitt-Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, and reports no additional conflicts of interest. Drs. Cicero, Kurtz, Rosenblum, and Surratt receive grant funding from the RADARS System to their institutions, and report no additional conflicts of interest. ",

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AU - Severtson, S. Geoffrey

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AU - Le Lait, Marie Claire

AU - Green, Jody L.

AU - Murrelle, Lenn E.

AU - Cicero, Theodore J.

AU - Kurtz, Steven P.

AU - Rosenblum, Andrew

AU - Surratt, Hilary L.

AU - Dart, Richard C.

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Abuse and diversion of buprenorphine sublingual tablets and film

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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