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Opioids

Program lead

Dr Briony Larance

Opioid prescribing in Australia has increased dramatically since the 1990s, with a larger array of opioid formulations with increased potency, particularly for chronic non-cancer pain. In parallel, there have been increases in diversion, extra-medical use and injection, opioid-related hospitalisation, opioid dependence and overdose. This program of work seeks to inform our understanding and responses to problematic opioid use, and improve the health of marginalised populations such as people who inject drugs and/or are opioid dependent.

Projects

Lead researchers

University of Wollongong
Dr Briony Larance

External 

  • Louisa Degenhardt (University of NSW)
  • Jason Grebely (University of NSW)
  • Suzanne Nielsen (Monash University)
  • Raimondo Bruno (University of Tasmania)
  • Paul Dietze (Burnet Institute)
  • Kari Lancaster (University of NSW)
  • Sarah Larney (University of Montreal)
  • Robert Ali (University of NSW)
  • Michael Farrell (University of NSW)

Lead institution
University of Wollongong and University of New South Wales

Project description

This project undertook a survey of 400 people who are opioid dependent across three jurisdictions (NSW, VIC and SA). The sample included people who are currently in treatment for opioid dependence and out of treatment populations (recruited through needle-syringe programs and other community organisations). We examined participants’ understanding of current treatment experiences, preferences, costs and impacts of current treatment policies. The primary aim of the survey was to examine perceptions of weekly or monthly injections of extended-release (depot) buprenorphine among people who used opioids regularly. Other studies are planned, including perceptions of other treatment options.

Outcomes

Funding

Industry grant (Indivior)

Researchers

University of Wollongong
Dr Briony Larance

External collaborators

  • Michael Farrell (UNSW)
  • Louisa Degenhardt (University of NSW)
  • Marian Shanahan (University of NSW)
  • Jeyran Shahbazi (University of NSW)
  • Marianne Byrne (University of NSW)
  • Nicholas Lintzeris (University of Sydney/South Eastern Sydney Local Health District)
  • Robert Ali (University of Adelaide)
  • Suzanne Nielsen (Monash University)
  • Jason Grebely (University of NSW)
  • Carla Treloar (University of NSW)
  • Kari Lancaster (University of NSW)
  • Adrian Dunlop (University of NSW)
  • Craig Rodgers (St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney)

Lead institution
University of New South Wales

Project description

The advent of novel extended release depot buprenorphine formulations has the potential to transform opioid agonist treatment in a variety of settings and benefit the lives of people living with opioid dependence. For example, the close level of monitoring conducted with current standard daily sublingual buprenorphine dosing may no longer be required. It is important to understand how this impacts on patient outcomes. In addition, making the shift to injectable treatments has important service- and system-level implications. The CoLAB project will evaluate patient outcomes following the implementation of monthly injection of depot buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence, as well as develop and document the implementation in community-based treatment settings, with an emphasis on the feasibility and practical clinical, regulatory and supply issues in settings representative of Australian clinical practice.

Outcomes

With a focus on the patient experience and practical implementation of the treatment and its delivery, the research findings should be directly translatable and inform future clinical practice.

Funding

Industry grant (Indivior)