Buprenorphine Maintenance Therapy in Opioid-Addicted Health Care Professionals Returning to Clinical Practice: A Hidden Controversy

Abstract It remains controversial whether it is safe for recovering health care professionals to return to clinical practice after treatment for drug addiction. One specific component of reentry that remains particularly contentious is the use of pharmacotherapeutics, specifically buprenorphine, as...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Mayo Clinic proceedings 2012-03, Vol.87 (3), p.260-267
Main Authors: Hamza, Heather, CRNA, MS, Bryson, Ethan O., MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine - adverse effects
Buprenorphine - therapeutic use
Care and treatment
Cognition - drug effects
Dosage and administration
Drug abuse
Health aspects
Humans
Internal Medicine
Narcotic Antagonists - adverse effects
Narcotic Antagonists - therapeutic use
Opiate Substitution Treatment
Opioid-Related Disorders - drug therapy
Physician Impairment - legislation & jurisprudence
Professional Impairment - legislation & jurisprudence
Psychomotor Performance - drug effects
Special
United States
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Summary:Abstract It remains controversial whether it is safe for recovering health care professionals to return to clinical practice after treatment for drug addiction. One specific component of reentry that remains particularly contentious is the use of pharmacotherapeutics, specifically buprenorphine, as opioid substitution therapy for health care professionals who wish to return to clinical work. Because health care professionals are typically engaged in safety-sensitive work with considerable consequences when errors occur, abstinence-based recovery should be recommended until studies demonstrate that it is safe to allow this population to practice while undergoing opioid substitution therapy.
ISSN:0025-6196
1942-5546
DOI:10.1016/j.mayocp.2011.09.007