Healthcare professionals' perception of prolonged-release buprenorphine in opioid use disorder. FOLIPRO Study

The aim of the FOLIPRO study was to determine the satisfaction and expectations of healthcare professionals with experience in opioid use disorders (OUD) with prolonged-release buprenorphine (PRB). FOLIPRO was designed as an anonymous, cross-sectional, multicenter survey aimed at professionals from addiction centers (AC) and penitentiary centers in Spain. The survey collected characteristics of the AC and the healthcare professionals. Possible barriers associated with the prescription of PRB in OUD treatment were also identified. Seventy-four questionnaires were received from 45 different centers. More than half of the centers, 51.1%, were outpatient methadone (MTD) dispensing centers and 31.1% were penitentiary centers. 68.5% of the participants had experience with PRB, which exceeded 6 months in 58.3% of the cases. 31.5% stated that they had no experience, 40% of them mainly due to reimbursement criteria for PRB. Regarding prescribing/administration issues, professionals reported greater satisfaction with PRB compared to MTD and buprenorphine/naloxone (SL-BPN/NX). According to healthcare professionals, bureaucracy, lack of knowledge of some prescribers, and patient refusal due to fear of opioid withdrawal were the main barriers described in for prescribing PRB. The results of the study show high satisfaction among healthcare professionals with PRB, positioning PRB as a valuable treatment option.