EXPERT WEBINAR

Transitioning between opioid dependence treatments: clinical considerations and switching strategies

Watch the IOTOD 2023 spring educational webinar led by Professor Nicholas Lintzeris and joined by Professor Dr Jens Reimer and Dr Craig Sayers.

Experts discussed reasons why patients with opioid dependence (OD) may switch between OD treatments and summarised the logistic considerations for such transitions. Best practice approaches and case examples were discussed and the agenda also covered dose-tapering strategies and high-dose transfers with regard to methadone to buprenorphine transition as well as avoidance of precipitated withdrawal.

The agenda covered:

  • Reasons why patients with OD may transition between different treatments and the practical/logistic clinical considerations involved in the switching process
  • Dose tapering best practice when transferring OD patients from methadone to buprenorphine (sublingual or long-acting), to minimise the risk of precipitated withdrawal
  • The principle of high-dose transfer from methadone to buprenorphine and the appropriate patient scenarios
  • Considerations for the use of slow-release oral morphine (SROM) as an opioid dependence treatment in patients with OD

Expert Faculty

Chair –Professor Nicholas Lintzeris

Drug and Alcohol Services, South-East Sydney Local Health District

Sydney, Australia

Speaker - Professor Jens Reimer

University Medical Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Speaker - Dr Craig Sayers

Prison Healthcare NHS Forth Valley & National Prison Care Network, Stirlingshire, Scotland

Funding Statement

The IOTOD webinar ‘Transitioning between opioid dependence treatments: clinical considerations and switching strategies’ is supported by grant funding from Camurus. The educational programme is run at arm’s length from the financial supporters and all content is created by the faculty. No funder has had input into the content of the materials or presentations used in the educational programme. PCM Scientific is the medical education company acting as scientific secretariat and webinar organiser.