Opioid agonist treatments (OATs) such as methadone and buprenorphine-naloxone are standard therapy for opioid use disorder, but treatment duration is decreasing as fentanyl becomes more prevalent in the illicit opioid supply. Given that retention in OAT is a core measurement of treatment effectiveness, the finding underscores the urgent need for research and policy changes, according to a population-based, retrospective cohort analysis from Ontario.

Illicit opioids in Canada now contain more fentanyl than before. In 2022, almost 70% of opioid samples submitted for analysis in Canada contained fentanyl or fentanyl analogs.

“Fentanyl is substantially more potent than the prescription opioids and heroin that were previously most commonly used, and the fentanyl available today often has othe

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