Overview

• A Health Affairs study using 2017–2023 IQVIA data found availability rose only from 33% to 39% of retail pharmacies by 2023.
• Pharmacies in predominantly Black (18%) and Latino (17%) neighborhoods were far less likely to carry buprenorphine than those in white neighborhoods (46%), with four- to fivefold gaps in some states.
• Availability declined in Florida, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington, Virginia and Washington, D.C., even as most states saw modest increases.
• Researchers link limited stocking to DEA scrutiny, supplier shipment delays, and pharmacists’ legal liability concerns under controlled‑substance rules.
• Recommended actions include easing dispensing controls, curbing law‑enforcement access to prescription monitoring databases, and considering requirements that pharmacies maintain buprenorphine stock.