Resources
Resources for Helping Patients Struggling to Pay for Buprenorphine Products
Medication Assistance Form (PDF)
Medication Discount/Patient Savings Coupons
Naloxone-Related Resources for Pharmacists
How to talk to patients about Naloxone
Narcan information to share with patients (PDF)
North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition syringe access program locator
- Samples, H., Williams, A. R., Crystal, S., & Olfson, M. (2020). Impact of long-term buprenorphine treatment on adverse health care outcomes in Medicaid. Health Affairs, 39(5), 747–755.
- Chilcoat, H. D., Amick, H. R., Sherwood, M. R., & Dunn, K. E. (2019). Buprenorphine in the United States: Motives for abuse, misuse, and diversion. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 104, 148–157.
- Cicero, T. J., Ellis, M. S., & Chilcoat, H. D. (2018). Understanding the use of diverted buprenorphine. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 193, 117–123.
- Dart, R. C. (2020). A new frontier: Prescription drug abuse beyond opioids. Presented at: Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance (RADARS) System 14th Annual Scientific Meeting.
- Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of the Administrator. (2023, January 12). Elimination of the DATA-Waiver Program [Dear Registrant Letter]. (PDF)
- U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2025). Expansion of buprenorphine treatment via telemedicine encounter: Final rule. Federal Register, 90(11), 6504-6521. (PDF)
- Carroll, J. J., Rich, J. D., & Green, T. C. (2018). The more things change: Buprenorphine/naloxone diversion continues while treatment remains inaccessible. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 12(6), 459–465.
- Strickland, D. M., & Burson, J. K. (2018). Sublingual absorption of naloxone in a large clinical population. Journal of Drug Metabolism & Toxicology, 9(02), 240.
- Blazes, C. K., & Morrow, J. D. (2020). Reconsidering the usefulness of adding naloxone to buprenorphine. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 958.
- Linke, S., Harrison, R., & Wallace, P. (2005). A web-based intervention used in general practice for people with excessive alcohol consumption. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 11(Suppl 1), 39–41.
- Debelak, K., Morrone, W. R., O’Grady, K. E., & Jones, H. E. (2013). Buprenorphine + naloxone in the treatment of opioid dependence during pregnancy: Initial patient care and outcome data. The American Journal on Addictions, 22(3), 252–254.
- Project CARA. (2021). Use of buprenorphine-naloxone in pregnancy. (Project CARA Brief).
- Etminan, M., Rezaeianzadeh, R., Kezouh, A., & Aminzadeh, K. (2022). Association between sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone exposure and dental disease. JAMA, 328(22), 2269–2271.
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). (2022). DEA’s commitment to expanding access to medication-assisted treatment.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (n.d.). Buprenorphine dispensing maps.
- Ostrach, B., Hill, L., Carpenter, D., & Pollini, R. (2023). Addressing buprenorphine bottlenecks in the context of MAT Act implementation. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 63(4), 1044–1048.
- Chambers, L. C., et al. (2023). Buprenorphine dose and time to discontinuation among patients with opioid use disorder in the era of fentanyl. JAMA Network Open, 6(9), e2334540.
- Samples, H., et al. (2023). Buprenorphine after nonfatal opioid overdose: Reduced mortality risk in Medicare disability beneficiaries. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 65(1), 19–29.
- Woody, G., et al. (2014). HIV risk reduction with buprenorphine-naloxone or methadone: Findings from a randomized trial. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 66(3), 288–293.
- Evans, E. A., et al. (2019). Criminal justice outcomes over 5 years after randomization to buprenorphine-naloxone or methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Addiction, 114(8), 1396–1404.
- Boston Federal Reserve Bank. (2023). New report: Buprenorphine treatment may improve job-finding rates of people with opioid use disorder.
- Williams, A. R., Samples, H., Crystal, S., & Olfson, M. (2020). Acute care, prescription opioid use, and overdose following discontinuation of long-term buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 177(2), 117–124.
- Davoli, M., Perucci, C. A., Forastiere, F., et al. (1993). Risk factors for overdose mortality: A case-control study within a cohort of intravenous drug users. International Journal of Epidemiology, 22(2), 273–277.
- Ma, J., Bao, Y. P., Wang, R. J., et al. (2019). Effects of medication-assisted treatment on mortality among opioid users: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Molecular Psychiatry, 24(12), 1868–1883.
- American Pharmacists Association. (2020). Actions of the 2020 House of Delegates – Special session. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 60(5), e9–e16.
- North Carolina Board of Pharmacy. (2023). Guidance on implementation of STOP Act.
- DEA and HHS Extend Telemedicine Flexibilities. Retrieved from Telemedicine Policy.
- NIH (2023). Retention of Opioid Use Treatment Found in Analysis.
- Ecker, J., et al. (2019). Substance use disorders in pregnancy: Clinical, ethical, and research imperatives of the opioid epidemic. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 221(1), B5–B28.
- American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). (2025). The ASAM national practice guideline for the treatment of opioid use disorder – 2020 focused update.
- North Carolina Administrative Code. (n.d.). Emergency prescription refills (21 NCAC 46.1809).
- North Carolina Emergency Code (2025). Guidance on emergency prescriptions and controlled substance refills.
The development of Buprenorphine Understanding in the Pharmacy Environment, B.U.P.E. was supported by the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy and RTI International. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funders.
The Continuing Education program is a grant-funded effort that teaches pharmacists about dispensing of buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) at community pharmacies. Content focuses on what buprenorphine is; factors that have led to an increase in buprenorphine prescriptions; barriers that can limit access to buprenorphine at community pharmacies; and how to overcome these barriers.
Program content was developed by Bayla Ostrach, MA, PhD, CIP, Delesha Carpenter, PhD, MSPH, and Grace Marley, PharmD. A team of expert stakeholders with relevant experience helped develop the program content. The Development Panel included community pharmacists and stakeholders involved in pharmacist education and rural healthcare.
The program was produced by Lars Sahl and the MEDIA team at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.