The model-based study, published in the journal Addiction, compares estimated costs across sectors for people with opioid dependence who are in treatment and those who are not. The largest cost reductions fall to families and communities (37%), economic productivity (37%), and the criminal justice system (23%). Only 2% are attributed to healthcare.

So while healthcare systems largely pay for treatment, most of the benefits appear elsewhere in society. According to the study partners, this gap calls for a cross-sector approach to policy and funding decisions.

“Despite effective treatments being available, many people remain untreated because of stigma, limited access, past negative treatment experiences, and practical barriers,” says Daniel Mogford, International Medical Director, CNS, Camurus. “The findings highlight the need to improve access to, and retention in, treatment.”

“While the study was not designed to establish causality, the results indicate the potential value of treatment and that economic consequences of opioid dependence extend well beyond the healthcare system, across society as a whole,” says Magnus Värendh, Senior Research Manager, IHE.

The model is based on secondary data from peer-reviewed journals and official reports. An estimated 364,000 people live with opioid dependence in the UK, and around 47% of them are in treatment. The study was funded by Camurus, which markets the long-acting buprenorphine injection Buvidal for opioid dependence.