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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

EV0004

Introduction of depot buprenorphine in the Slovenian prison service

INTRODUCTION OF DEPOT BUPRENORPHINE IN SLOVENIAN PRISON SERVICE

Depot buprenorphine was used in 15.5% of male prisoners receiving opioid agonist therapy at Ljubljana Prison; its use was found to be acceptable and considered to have the potential to reduce medication diversion.

The study aimed to evaluate the introduction of depot buprenorphine to address medication diversion reported with oral formulations of opioid agonist therapy (OAT), the standard treatment in prison settings, where substance use disorders are prevalent. Methadone, oral and depot buprenorphine, and extended-release morphine are available in Slovenia; depot buprenorphine is administered as a weekly or monthly subcutaneous injection and is expected to reduce diversion, improve stability, and provide better protection after release. The distribution of OAT medications during the first eight months of 2025 was examined among adult male prisoners at Ljubljana Prison diagnosed with opioid use disorder according to ICD-11. Methadone had been used in 24 individuals (33.8%), oral buprenorphine in 46 (64.8%), and depot buprenorphine in 11 (15.5%). Among those receiving depot buprenorphine, treatment was continued in six individuals, injection-site swelling was reported in four, and a severe rash in one. The main challenges identified were medication diversion, security-related pressures, fear of side effects, and resistance to treatment changes requiring motivational interventions. The authors state that depot buprenorphine may reduce diversion, improve treatment adherence and the therapeutic alliance, enhance institutional security, and ensure continuity of treatment after release.

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