San Francisco Plans to Distribute Buprenorphine to Heroin Addicts on the Street

24:05

Mina Kim

Jun 29, 2018 at

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A man uses heroin in a tent under a bridge where he lives with other addicts in the Kensington section which has become a hub for heroin use on January 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The San Francisco Department of Public Health announced a plan last month to prescribe and distribute the medication buprenorphine to at least 250 heroin addicts who live on the street. Buprenorphine lessens physical cravings for heroin and alleviates withdrawal symptoms, but unlike methadone, it can be administered outside of a clinic. As part of KQED’s SF Homeless Project, we’ll discuss the plan and what it aims to accomplish.

Guests:
Barry Zevin, Medical Director, Street Medicine and Shelter Health, San Francisco Department of Public Health

Related Links:
SF Homeless Project at kqed.org
SF Homeless Project at sfgate.com

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