Monthly Injectable Buprenorphine Associated With 56% Fewer Inpatient Visits For People With Opioid Use Disorder

June 1, 2026

People with opioid use disorder (OUD) using a monthly injectable form of buprenorphine had lower health care utilization and fewer infectious disease-related complications than those taking daily transmucosal buprenorphine, according to a recent study. During a six-month follow-up period, those receiving extended-release buprenorphine (BUP-XR or Sublocade) had 56% fewer inpatient visits, 22% fewer emergency department visits, and 21% fewer all-cause outpatient visits.

The findings were based on a retrospective cohort study that compared outcomes for 467 people using BUP-XR with outcomes for 118,112 people using daily transmucosal buprenorphine (TM-BUP). Researchers analyzed de-identified data from the Veradigm Network electronic health record and linked claims database for consumers who had used BUP-XR/Sublocade or TM-BUP continuously for at least 90 days between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2024. Each participant was followed for six months.

In addition to lower overall health care utilization, outpatient visits related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were 77% lower among those using BUP-XR compared to those using TM-BUP. BUP-XR was also associated with a statistically significant 62% reduction in the incidence of bacteremia, a bloodstream infection commonly associated with injection drug use.

The health care resource utilization findings were presented in Assessing The Impact Of Buprenorphine For Opioid Use Disorder On Infectious Disease Management by Jamie Lo, Anusorn Thanataveerat, Amanda Manfredo, and colleagues. The goal was to assess the relationship between treatment using extended-release buprenorphine (BUP-XR; Sublocade) or TM-BUP and rates of infectious disease incidence, overall health care resource utilization (HCRU), and infectious disease-related HCRU among individuals who received continuous OUD treatment for 90 days or more.

The data also suggest differences in engagement with routine health care services. Among those taking BUP-XR, 10.5% had at least one outpatient visit for hepatitis B or hepatitis C management during follow-up, compared to 4.9% of those taking TM-BUP. The authors suggested this pattern may reflect improved engagement in chronic disease monitoring among those receiving the injectable formulation.

A general shift from acute, unscheduled care toward planned outpatient care was observed following treatment initiation, though those taking BUP-XR consistently demonstrated lower rates of utilization across acute care settings.

The full text of Assessing the Impact of Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder on Infectious Disease Management was published on May 17, 2026, by the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment. A free copy is available (accessed May 27, 2026).

For more information, contact: Cassie France-Kelly, Lead, Communications, Indivior Inc., 10710 Midlothian Turnpike, Suite 125, North Chesterfield, Virginia 23235-4776; Email: PatientSafetyNA@Indivior.com; Website: https://www.indivior.com/en