A 17-year-old boy named Sam is being treated for an addiction to opioids by pediatrician Safdar Medina in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. The doctor prescribed buprenorphine to help curb Sam’s cravings, and the treatment seems to be successful as Sam’s urine tests show no signs of the opioid pills he was previously addicted to. However, only 6% of pediatricians offer buprenorphine to teens addicted to opioids, despite the increasing number of overdose deaths among young people. Sam, who is transitioning to an injectable form of buprenorphine, emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with the right people to overcome addiction.
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More Kids Are Dying of Drug Overdoses. Could Pediatricians Do More to Help?
