KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� March 16, 2026 鈥� 溏心vlog免费B站 Clinical Professor of Pharmacy Jeffrey Bratberg partnered with Brandeis University and Boston University researchers in a recent study which found that pharmacy-based methadone dispensing models can operate profitably while widening access鈥攁 key step toward reducing overdose deaths.
Bratberg, the sole pharmacist author on the study, provided his experience in addiction care鈥攖he use of medications to treat addiction鈥攁nd community pharmacy research. Given Bratberg鈥檚 longstanding relationship with Professor Traci Green, director of the , he was invited to contribute to the study, which aims to find ways to increase access to care for underserved people in the nation. Green was the senior author of the paper.
In addition to Bratberg and Green, the research team for the study included: Elena Soranno, an undergraduate research assistant, and Murray Dawson, a graduate research assistant, both at Brandeis; Sage Feltus, a research associate; and Maureen T. Stewart, research associate professor, both at the Boston University School of Public Health.
鈥淲e want to increase access to life-saving medication,鈥� said Bratberg, 鈥淥ur goal is to increase choices for people and to add a choice where people don鈥檛 have it.鈥�
The study, published in the March 16 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association鈥檚 , comes as many healthcare providers and treatment advocates are calling for more widespread availability of medications used to treat opioid use disorder. Nationally, and continue to decline nationally, leaving more people living with addiction but largely untreated.
An economic evaluation assessed two separate models that would allow methadone access through pharmacies. By using a 鈥減harmacist-dispensed鈥� model, in which medical professionals prescribe and pharmacists dispense methadone directly, researchers estimated a return of $2.64 per dollar spent for a net profit of $23,844 over three years. Using a pharmacy-based 鈥渕edication unit鈥� model, in which established opioid treatment program clinicians prescribe methadone and pharmacists dispense it, the study found the estimated return jumped to $3.53 per dollar spent, for a net profit of $96,904 over three years.
鈥淚t is a disservice to your patient if you start something and later say 鈥業 can鈥檛 keep doing this because it鈥檚 not financially viable,鈥欌�� said Bratberg. 鈥淧harmacies are struggling financially. If a pharmacy is your only choice for access to a medication and they go out of business, you lose all access to all medications. We don鈥檛 have to have that risk.鈥�
The medication unit model is permissible under current law, while the pharmacist dispensed model is possible with a broadening of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration鈥檚 regulatory interpretation.
鈥淧atients want it. Pharmacists are trained to do it. Pharmacies exist where patients want it. And now we know this is something that is also feasible and sustainable from a profit and loss perspective,鈥� said Bratberg. 鈥淎ll the ingredients are there to support regulatory change to say 鈥榟ey policymakers, you flip a switch and then we can save lives.鈥�
This story was written by Kiera Wrage, a senior majoring in public relations at the 溏心vlog免费B站. Kiera is interning in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Department of Communications and Marketing.