Report finds increase in opioid disorder meds

Opioid utilization in workers compensation continued to drop in 2021, but drugs that manage opioid use disorder saw an increase, according to a drug trends report released Tuesday by Enlyte Group LLC.

Based on all 2021 calendar-year retail and mail-order transactions billed through the company’s pharmacy benefit management program, utilization of opioids decreased by 3.1% per claim, but medications that manage opioid withdrawal symptoms rose 7.4%.

Overall, prescription trends saw slight increases in 2021: 0.2% utilization per claim; 1.3% cost per claim; 1.1% cost per prescription, according to the report.

The report also found that six of the top 10 therapeutic classes experienced increased utilization per claim; however, none of the classes rose by more than 10%. The largest utilization increases were within the hematological and respiratory classes at 9.7% and 7.7%, respectively.

The use of opioid alternatives also saw increases: 3.3% more antidepressants and 2.3% more anticonvulsants.