"Medication First" is a low-threshold approach to Opioid Use Disorder treatment that relies on four principles:

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1. People with OUD receive pharmacotherapy treatment as quickly as possible, prior to lengthy assessments or treatments planning sessions;
    

2. Maintenance pharmacotherapy is delivered without arbitrary tapering or time limits;
    

3. Individualized psychosocial services are continually offered but not required as a condition of pharmacotherapy;
    

4. Pharmacotherapy is discontinued only if it is worsening the person’s condition.

 

Webinar explaining the rationale for the Medication First approach

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Evaluation of the Medication First Approach

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​Banta-Green, C. J., Owens, M. D., Williams, J. R., Sears, J. M., Floyd, A. S., Williams-Gilbert, W., & Kingston, S. (2022). The Community-Based Medication-First program for opioid use disorder: a hybrid implementation study protocol of a rapid access to buprenorphine program in Washington State. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 17(1), 1-8.

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Winograd, R. P., Presnall, N., Stringfellow, E., Wood, C., Horn, P., Duello, A., ... & Rudder, T. (2019). The case for a medication first approach to the treatment of opioid use disorder. The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse, 45(4), 333-340.

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Winograd, R. P., Wood, C. A., Stringfellow, E. J., Presnall, N., Duello, A., Horn, P., & Rudder, T. (2020). Implementation and evaluation of Missouri's Medication First treatment approach for opioid use disorder in publicly-funded substance use treatment programs. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 108, 55-64.