The article is based on summarized data collected from 2002 until 2011 in an annual assessment questionnaire. The questionnaire collects data regarding the patients’ current, treatment information and substance use behaviours, and it is distributed to all patients who received OMT treatment in Norway.
The main finding of the study is the rapid change of maintenance medication; in 2002, only 16% of the OMT patients received buprenorphine. By 2011 this percentage had increased significantly and just over half of the patients were receiving buprenorphine. Conversely, the percentage of patients receiving methadone fell from 82% to 47% during the same time period.
In addition, the study shows that a large increase in patient numbers, from 1984 in 2002 to 6640 in 2011, did not influence how many patients were retained in treatment. These findings of a marked expansion in treatment services together with the shift towards buprenorphine show that relatively rapid adjustments can occur within a national OMT programme.