9
Buprenorphine
• Buprenorphine acts on the same parts of the brain as opioid
medications or drugs. It helps to stabilize them to reduce the
desire to use opioids and to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
• There are several buprenorphine formulations approved by the
FDA for treatment of opioid use disorder.
• Buprenorphine comes as tablets or films (for daily use) or
extended-release injections (weekly or monthly). The dosage
may be adjusted over time to find the dose that works best for
the patient.
• Many versions of this medication are combined with naloxone
to prevent possible misuse. Learn more about naloxone on
page 12. When misused (injected, snorted, or other) the
naloxone in the buprenorphine medication can bring on
withdrawal symptoms.
• Insurance coverage and price may help determine which form
should be chosen. The clinician will make sure the patient has
a dosage and form that meets their medical needs.
• Patients may need to see their clinician frequently at the
beginning of treatment, until their addiction symptoms have
stabilized.
• Buprenorphine treatment can be started either at home or in a
doctor's office. Both options are considered safe and effective
when starting.
• Buprenorphine needs to be started carefully to prevent
withdrawal symptoms. The clinician may ask the patient to wait
until they are experiencing mild to moderate opioid withdrawal
symptoms before taking the first dose of buprenorphine.
• Many patients will need to continue taking buprenorphine for
an extended period of time. Stopping buprenorphine can put
the patient at risk for relapse and overdose. This should only
be done slowly with careful monitoring by the clinician.
• As of 2023, any clinician with a current DEA registration
that includes Schedule III authority may now prescribe
buprenorphine. This significantly increases the number of
clinicians eligible to prescribe buprenorphine, and provides
patients with easier access to effective treatments.
• Treatment with buprenorphine has been shown to reduce the
patient's risk for opioid overdose death.
