Interim treatment: Bridging delays to opioid treatment access

• Opioid clinics can have lengthy waitlists for treatment access.
• During these delays, patients are at significant risk for morbidity and mortality.
• Interim opioid treatment (IOT) involves daily medication + emergency counseling.
• We review the literature evaluating IOT efficacy among waitlisted opioid abusers.
• IOT reduces illicit drug use and other risks during delays to standard treatment.

ObjectiveDespite the undisputed effectiveness of agonist maintenance for opioid dependence, individuals can remain on waitlists for months, during which they are at significant risk for morbidity and mortality. To mitigate these risks, the Food and Drug Administration in 1993 approved interim treatment, involving daily medication + emergency counseling only, when only a waitlist is otherwise available. We review the published research in the 20 years since the approval of interim opioid treatment.MethodsA literature search was conducted to identify all randomized trials evaluating the efficacy of interim treatment for opioid-dependent patients awaiting comprehensive treatment.ResultsInterim opioid treatment has been evaluated in four controlled trials to date. In three, interim treatment was compared to waitlist or placebo control conditions and produced greater outcomes on measures of illicit opioid use, retention, criminality, and likelihood of entry into comprehensive treatment. In the fourth, interim treatment was compared to standard methadone maintenance and produced comparable outcomes in illicit opioid use, retention, and criminal activity.ConclusionsInterim treatment significantly reduces patient and societal risks when conventional treatment is unavailable. Further research is needed to examine the generality of these findings, further enhance outcomes, and identify the patient characteristics which predict treatment response.