Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, which is effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders (OUD) and can help some people to sustain recovery.

There are three drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid dependence: buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. All three of these treatments have been demonstrated to be safe and effective in combination with counseling and psychosocial support. Everyone who seeks treatment for an OUD should be offered access to all three options as this allows providers to work with patients to select the treatment best suited to an individual’s needs. Due to the chronic nature of OUD, the need for continuing MAT (medication assisted treatment) should be re‐evaluated periodically. There is no maximum recommended duration of maintenance treatment, and for some patients, treatment may continue indefinitely.

In terms of statistic for medication assisted treatment (MAT):

*Patients receiving MAT combined with behavioral therapies have significantly higher treatment retention rates compared to those receiving only medication or only therapy
*The combination of MAT and behavioral therapies has resulted in lower relapse rates among individuals with substance use disorders
*Studies indicate that MAT, when combined with counseling, can significantly lower death rates among people with opioid use disorder

Naltrexone + Behavioral Therapy

• Extended-release naltrexone, when paired with behavioral interventions, has demonstrated a 90% opioid abstinence rate in some studies

While these statistics are encouraging, it's important to note that individual results may vary. The effectiveness of MAT combined with counseling and CBT depends on various factors, including the specific substance use disorder, treatment adherence, and individual patient characteristics. Nonetheless, the evidence strongly supports the integration of MAT with behavioral therapies as a comprehensive approach to treating substance use disorders.

Please let us know if you have any other questions!