The Role of Medications in the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder

Overview of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

IMPORTANT: Review all module materials before you Take the Test.

Learning Objectives

Recognize the role that medications play in opioid use disorder (OUD) management and compare their place in treatment.
Evaluate the efficacy of medications for OUD.
Identify factors that impact access to and availability of medications for OUD.
Discuss key considerations for effective treatment planning with medications for OUD.

Presenter

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS

Curriculum Specialist

UT Austin Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine (PhARM) Program

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS is a pharmacist and health services researcher. At the University of Texas at Austin, she is a Research Associate with the College of Pharmacy and a Curriculum Specialist with the Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine Program. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor with Purdue University College of Pharmacy. Dr. Nichols’ research focuses on the pharmacist’s role in substance use disorder (SUD) interventions. Her work has received national funding, including from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. She is also a passionate educator and has developed training for a variety of learners, including an educational SUD board game, Journey to Recovery.TM

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

Content Contributors

Sasha / Personal Testimony
Jillian / Personal Testimony
Liz / Personal Testimony
Veronica / Personal Testimony
Pamela / Personal Testimony
Michael / Personal Testimony

Financial Disclosure: All of the content contributors listed above do not have any financial relationships to disclose.

Activity Number

0067-0000-25-018-H08-P/T

Release Date: Jul 1, 2025

Credit Expiration Date: Jul 1, 2027

CE Hours

1.00

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Methadone Treatment Strategies

IMPORTANT: You must review all module materials before taking the test below.

Learning Objectives

Describe the pharmacology and available formulations for methadone.
Discuss positive and negative patient considerations for methadone treatment.
Explain current dosing and monitoring strategies for methadone initiation, maintenance, and tapering.

Presenters

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS

Curriculum Specialist

UT Austin Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine (PhARM) Program

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS is a pharmacist and health services researcher. At the University of Texas at Austin, she is a Research Associate and Adjunct Assistant Professor with the College of Pharmacy and a Curriculum Specialist with the Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine Program. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor with Purdue University College of Pharmacy. Dr. Nichols’ research focuses on the pharmacist’s role in substance use disorder (SUD) interventions. Her work has received national funding, including from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. She is also a passionate educator and has developed training for a variety of learners, including an educational SUD board game, Journey to Recovery.TM

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

John Weems, MD, FASAM

Associate Director of Addiction Medicine

CommUnityCare Health Centers

John Weems, MD, FASAM is an internal medicine physician and addiction medicine specialist at CommUnityCare Health Centers in Austin, TX. As Associate Director of Addiction Medicine, he is responsible for increasing access to high-quality addiction medicine services. Dr. Weems trains medical students and residents as a faculty member at Dell Medical School. He is also the lead subject matter expert for Support Hospital Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (SHOUT) Texas. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, he completed an internal medicine primary care residency followed by an addiction medicine fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Charlestown Community Health Center. He is board-certified in addiction and internal medicine.

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

Activity Number

0067-0000-25-044-H08-P/T

Release Date: Jul 1, 2025

Credit Expiration Date: Jul 1, 2027

CE Hours

1.00

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Buprenorphine Treatment Strategies

IMPORTANT: You must review all module materials before taking the test below.

Learning Objectives

Describe the pharmacology and available formulations for buprenorphine.
Discuss positive and negative patient considerations for buprenorphine treatment.
Explain current dosing and monitoring strategies for buprenorphine initiation, maintenance, and tapering.

Presenters

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS

Curriculum Specialist

UT Austin Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine (PhARM) Program

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS is a pharmacist and health services researcher. At the University of Texas at Austin, she is a Research Associate with the College of Pharmacy and a Curriculum Specialist with the Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine Program. At Purdue University College of Pharmacy, Molly is an Adjunct Assistant Professor. Dr. Nichols’ research focuses on the pharmacist’s role in substance use disorder (SUD) interventions. Her work has received national funding, including from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. She is also a passionate educator and has developed training for a variety of learners, including an educational SUD board game, Journey to Recovery.TM

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

John Weems, MD, FASAM

Associate Director of Addiction Medicine

CommUnityCare Health Centers

John Weems, MD, FASAM is an internal medicine physician and addiction medicine specialist at CommUnityCare Health Centers in Austin, TX. As Associate Director of Addiction Medicine, he is responsible for increasing access to high-quality addiction medicine services. Dr. Weems trains medical students and residents as a faculty member at Dell Medical School. He is also the lead subject matter expert for Support Hospital Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (SHOUT) Texas. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, he completed an internal medicine primary care residency followed by an addiction medicine fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Charlestown Community Health Center. He is board-certified in addiction and internal medicine.

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

Activity Number

0067-0000-25-045-H08-P/T

Release Date: Jul 1, 2025

Credit Expiration Date: Jul 1, 2027

CE Hours

1.00

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Naltrexone Treatment Strategies

IMPORTANT: You must review all module materials before taking the test below.

Learning Objectives

Describe the pharmacology and available formulations for naltrexone.
Discuss positive and negative patient considerations for naltrexone treatment.
Explain current dosing and monitoring strategies for naltrexone initiation, maintenance, and tapering.

Presenters

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS

Curriculum Specialist

UT Austin Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine (PhARM) Program

Molly Nichols, PharmD, MS, MATS is a pharmacist and health services researcher. At the University of Texas at Austin, she is a Research Associate with the College of Pharmacy and a Curriculum Specialist with the Pharmacy Addictions Research & Medicine Program. At Purdue University College of Pharmacy, Molly is an Adjunct Assistant Professor. Dr. Nichols’ research focuses on the pharmacist’s role in substance use disorder (SUD) interventions. Her work has received national funding, including from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. She is also a passionate educator and has developed training for a variety of learners, including an educational SUD board game, Journey to Recovery.TM

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

John Weems, MD, FASAM

Associate Director of Addiction Medicine

CommUnityCare Health Centers

John Weems, MD, FASAM is an internal medicine physician and addiction medicine specialist at CommUnityCare Health Centers in Austin, TX. As Associate Director of Addiction Medicine, he is responsible for increasing access to high-quality addiction medicine services. Dr. Weems trains medical students and residents as a faculty member at Dell Medical School. He is also the lead subject matter expert for Support Hospital Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (SHOUT) Texas. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, he completed an internal medicine primary care residency followed by an addiction medicine fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Charlestown Community Health Center. He is board-certified in addiction and internal medicine.

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

Activity Number

0067-0000-25-046-H08-P/T

Release Date: Jul 1, 2025

Credit Expiration Date: Jul 1, 2027

CE Hours

1.00

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Continuing Education Credit

Steps to Complete Modules for CE Credit

This online activity is approved for a maximum of 0.4 CEUs (4.0 contact hours) of continuing education credit (each module is accredited individually for 1.0 contact hour).

To receive CE credit for each module:

Make sure you are registered and logged in (your name should appear in the top right of the screen).
Select a module by clicking one of the light blue tabs listed above.
Within the module, scroll down to Presentation Materials to view the video and presentation slides.
After viewing the video/slides in its entirety, take the test (no minimum score required).
Upon completing the test, submit the evaluation to earn CE credit. A certificate with CE credit can be accessed by clicking "View/Print CE Credit" listed at the top of the page. The CE certificate remains available in the learner's CE profile for future access.
NOTE: Pharmacy CE credit is automatically transmitted via CPE Monitor using the NABP e-profile ID entered during registration.

Visit the CE accreditation information to view the different types of CE credit offered for this course.

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Funding Disclosure

Funding Statement

This presentation is supported by the Texas Targeted Opioid Response, a public health initiative operated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission through federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, grant award number 1H79TI087739-01.

The views expressed in this online course do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, Texas Health and Human Services, University of Texas System, UT Health San Antonio, UT Austin, the U.S. or Texas Government, or any of the entities they represent.

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Questions

If you have questions about course content or CE credit, please email the UT College of Pharmacy Continuing Education Office: UTpharmacyCE@austin.utexas.edu

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