College of Pharmacy Receives Funding to Increase Access to Lifesaving Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Research Funding

The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) has selected the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy as one of three higher education entities funded to improve access to medications for opioid use disorder in pharmacies and health care settings.

Rural Appalachian communities in Kentucky have been highly impacted by substance use disorder and opioid overdose deaths. Buprenorphine is a Food and Drug Administration-approved medication that has been shown to decrease overdose mortality, increase remission and recovery, and improve quality of life for people with opioid use disorder. Yet, a study found that most pharmacies in 12 rural Appalachian counties were limiting their dispensing of buprenorphine or not dispensing it at all.

The College of Pharmacy has been awarded nearly half a million dollars to develop and test a peer-to-peer education program for pharmacists to increase buprenorphine dispensing. The project, led by Trish Rippetoe Freeman, Ph.D., professor of pharmacy practice and science, aims to equip pharmacists with the information and understanding of buprenorphine treatment, guidelines, and regulations to feel confident dispensing medication for opioid use disorder.