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Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) prescriptions tripled in the U.S. from 2008 to 2015 (from roughly 3.2 to 9.1 million). Before 2010, nearly all buprenorphine/naloxone tablets were dispensed in multi-use child-resistant bottles. Starting in 2013, most were distributed in child-resistant unit-dose film strips or blister packs. These researchers used national prescription and drug event databases to compare rates of emergency department (ED) visits for buprenorphine/naloxone ingestions in children younger than 6 years before and after the packaging change.
During 2008 to 2015, there were an estimated 8136 pediatric ED visits for buprenorphine/naloxone ingestion; most (75%) involved children aged 1 to 2 years. The rate of ED visits for buprenor…