Michelle Lofwall, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral science and Bell Alcohol and Addictions Endowed Chair at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, has been appointed to the National Methadone Access and Quality Commission.
The new national initiative, established through a grant from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts to Yale University, will work to improve access to methadone treatment for people with opioid use disorder.
Research shows only one in five people who could benefit from medication treatment for opioid use disorder receive it. Methadone is an evidence-based treatment that has been used for decades and is particularly effective in treating fentanyl-related addiction. Despite the strong evidence base, access has been limited by stigma, regulatory complexities and differing perspectives on monitoring practices.
Lofwall is among 14 experts from addiction medicine, public health, policy and health care delivery who will serve on the commission, along with people with lived experience of methadone treatment. Members will examine patient experiences, regulatory barriers, clinical practice standards, workforce development, financing models and treatment delivery innovations.
Lofwall is medical director of UK’s Robert Straus and First Bridge Clinics, which provide comprehensive opioid use disorder treatment, and her research has focused on evaluating novel treatments and improving retention in care.
The group held its first meeting in New York in January and will continue meeting over the next few years to develop recommendations for national policy and health system practice.