A new analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlights contrasting trends in buprenorphine dispensing for adolescents and young adults in the United States. The study, led by Dr. Eileen Lee of the National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce in Atlanta, examines changes in prescription patterns for this critical medication used in opioid use disorder treatment between 2020 and 2023.

The findings reveal a mixed picture. While the overall number of adolescents and young adults receiving buprenorphine decreased annually by 6.5 percent, this decline was primarily driven by significant reductions in dispensing among young adults aged 20 to 24 years. In this group, annual buprenorphine prescriptions dropped by 8.7 percent, contributing to the overall decrease from 47,759 prescriptions in 2020 to 38,907 in 2023.

In contrast, buprenorphine prescriptions for adolescents showed an upward trend, although the absolute numbers remained relatively low. Among younger adolescents aged 10 to 15 years, prescriptions increased from 67 to 188, while older teens aged 16 to 17 and 18 to 19 years saw rises from 335 to 1,026 and from 2,966 to 4,111, respectively.

The study also highlights variations in prescribing patterns by healthcare provider specialty. Nurse practitioners emerged as significant prescribers of buprenorphine compared to other medical specialties. Among adolescents, seven of 13 specialty groups reported increases in buprenorphine dispensing, whereas young adults experienced declines in eight specialty groups, reflecting divergent trends across age brackets.

The authors expressed concern about the persistently low rates of buprenorphine dispensing for both adolescents and young adults, despite some positive trends. "Despite some positive trends, buprenorphine dispensing to adolescents and young adults remains low," the authors concluded, emphasizing the need for targeted efforts to improve access to this potentially life-saving treatment.

The study underscores the importance of addressing barriers to buprenorphine access, particularly among young adults, while continuing to expand its availability for adolescents, who are increasingly at risk in the ongoing opioid crisis.