in the State of Oregon patients are required by the FDA, DEA, SAMHSA CARF to visit their doctor’s office every single day in order to obtain only a 2-3 day-supply of their methadone, suboxone or subutex. As our nation stands on the precipice of a pandemic, this presents a three-fold compounding problem :

This adds additional strain to our facilities and healthcare system.

Overcrowds lobbies.

Exposes vulnerable patients with underlying medical problems to additional risk.

This is unnecessary. It’s an added risk not only for vulnerable patients, but for our healthcare system as a whole.

With the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, it’s absolutely vital we do everything possible to both limit exposure to the coronavirus, while minimizing strain on our overall healthcare system.

We know that the coronavirus is most deadly for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. We know that anything we can do to minimize use of our healthcare system over the coming weeks is vitally important to our nation’s survival.

It is for this reason we are asking the US Food & Drug Administration Drug Enforcement agency and the Centers for Disease Control to announce a temporary measure, allowing (MAT) patients or Methadone/Suboxone/Subutex maintenance patients to receive at least 2 weeks worth of take home doses at a single office visit.

This would be a simple, easy, rapid solution requiring no significant changes to insurance or existing infrastructure. If the patient is in good standing with their clinic and doctor. Simple. Easy. Effective. And possibly, life-saving. Not only by reducing our risk of exposure, but by freeing up our doctors and nurses time and capacity to focus on upcoming waves of coronavirus patients.

Please, help us minimize risk to those most in danger from COVID-19.

Please, help us proactively minimize the strain on our nation’s healthcare system.

Help us rest easy, knowing maintenance program patients like us will still receive the care we need, without the added risk to our health and our very lives.

Yes, the opioid epidemic is important. But maintenance program patients are not the main drivers of this epidemic; all of that aside, however, the COVID-19 pandemic is a far more pressing threat, with more immediate life-threatening risks, on a national scale. As we have seen in recent weeks with Italy, we’re facing the very real possibility that our state and national healthcare system will soon be overwhelmed.