Highland Park Workers’ Compensation Lawyers: Opioid-Fighting Implant Causes Concerns About Workers’ Compensation Costs

The recent approval of a drug implant by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has workers’ compensation insurance companies concerned about increased costs, and may lead to hikes in workers’ compensation insurance premiums, industry analysts say.

In mid-January, the FDA approved Probuphine, a long-acting, rod shaped implant manufactured by Titan Pharmaceuticals and Braeburn Pharmaceuticals. The implant is surgically place under the skin of the arm, and is designed to alleviate opioid dependence for up to six months by giving users a daily dose of buprenorphine, itself a Schedule II controlled substance under federal law. The pharmaceutical industry has long accepted buprenorphine as an effective tool to help wean people off opioid addiction, according to Mark Pew, of PRIUM, a medical management company.

Pew also acknowledged that the approval of the implant could lead to “long-term cost consideration(s)” for workers’ compensation payers. His concern is that Probuphine might become a substitute for opioids, rather than a way of ridding users of the need for opioids. He says the drug is not cheap, and that long-term use could become extremely expensive. Pew’s concerns are also those of other medical professionals. They point out that the implant does not have the capacity of lowering the dosage over time, the best way to deal with addiction.

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