Project Grant RM1DA064499

The National Institute on Drug Abuse awarded Friends Research Institute, Inc. $1,442,966 on September 15, 2025, under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) to conduct a patient preference trial comparing extended-release injectable buprenorphine versus sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone administered via telemedicine for individuals re-entering the community from jail.

The study recruits 500 adults with moderate to severe opioid use disorder soon-to-be-released from eight rural jails in Maryland. Participants choose their preferred buprenorphine formulation and receive treatment in jail via telemedicine, followed by six months of post-release treatment via telemedicine at community pharmacies, a safety visit at seven months, and a 12-month follow-up. Pharmacists administer extended-release injections, enabling fully remote telemedicine delivery for both formulations. The trial measures retention in buprenorphine treatment (primary outcome), illicit opioid use, other substance use, overdose events, health-related quality of life, HIV risk behaviors, and criminal activity. Implementation research applies the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and RE-AIM frameworks to document factors supporting telemedicine adoption and sustainability in jails and pharmacy settings.

Friends Research Institute performs at Baltimore, Maryland. The award runs through May 31, 2030. The University of Maryland, Baltimore provides telemedicine services, medical oversight, and psychiatric pharmacy expertise, leading qualitative research aims. Duke University, through Dr. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, leads qualitative interviews of stakeholders and participants on intervention feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness, and co-leads dissemination of scientific findings.