Perspectives from opioid treatment program staff on community pharmacy-based methadone dispensing in North Carolina

OTP staff in North Carolina are, in general, not supportive of pharmacy-based methadone dispensing. With low perceived appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility of observed methadone dosing and dispensing methadone take-home doses in the community pharmacy, further work to implement pharmacy-based methadone dispensing may be stifled by OTP resistance. If policy-based efforts to increase methadone access through community pharmacies continue to be pursued, researchers and other key informants should seek to mitigate concerns identified by OTP staff to ensure people with OUD can receive high quality, patient-centered care in the pharmacy setting.