JAMA Netw Open

Pharmacy access hurdles persist for telemedicine buprenorphine patients

August 20, 2025

Pharmacy-level barriers to buprenorphine are prevalent among telemedicine OUD patients, leading to untreated periods and increased risk of relapse. Interventions such as mandatory buprenorphine stocking, pharmacist education, and medication delivery services are urgently needed to improve access and continuity of care.

Study details: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted from August to September 2024, enrolling 601 adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) receiving low-barrier telemedicine treatment across 5 U.S. states. Participants were stratified by rural and nonrural residence using Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes. Primary outcomes were self-reported frequency and types of buprenorphine fill problems, and days without medication due to pharmacy-related challenges.

Results: Nearly one third (31.9%) of patients reported missing buprenorphine doses in the past year due to pharmacy barriers, and 27.5% experienced prescription fill challenges. The most frequent barrier was lack of buprenorphine stock, necessitating pharmacy orders and risking treatment interruption (54.5% of fill problems). Other issues included insurance coverage (22.4%) and pharmacy hesitancy toward telemedicine prescriptions (19.4%). No significant difference in barriers was observed between rural and nonrural patients.

Source:

Hendy LE, et al. (2025, August 1). JAMA Netw Open. Pharmacy Barriers to Receiving Buprenorphine Among Patients Undergoing Telemedicine Addiction Treatment. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40824639/