Overview

• University of Colorado Anschutz and Denver Health researchers published the peer-reviewed analysis in JAMA Network Open on August 28, 2025.
• Across nearly 500 restart episodes involving about 200 patients, higher restart doses were delivered without an increase in adverse events versus traditional methods.
• The protocol departs from uniform large dose reductions after missed doses by basing restarts on individual tolerance and clinical circumstances.
• Findings address the shift from heroin to potent synthetic opioids, which often leaves patients presenting with higher tolerance at treatment entry.
• Funded by the National Institutes of Health and Denver Health’s Center for Addiction Medicine, the work has already informed practice at some clinics following preliminary 2024 presentations.