Clinical
Buprenorphine
Also called: Suboxone, Subutex, Sublocade.
Short definition
Buprenorphine is a medication for opioid addiction that reduces cravings and withdrawal with a much lower overdose risk than methadone.
Buprenorphine is one of three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (along with methadone and naltrexone). It partially activates opioid receptors, enough to ease withdrawal and cravings, but with a built-in ceiling that makes overdose far less likely than with full-strength opioids. It is most often prescribed as Suboxone (a sublingual film) or Sublocade (a monthly injection).
The evidence is clear: sustained buprenorphine treatment cuts overdose deaths roughly in half compared to non-medication approaches. Even so, some abstinence-focused programs discourage it. Luxury residential programs generally offer it, but stances vary. A center's policy on buprenorphine is one of the most important things to ask about before admission for opioid addiction.
As of 2023, any DEA-licensed clinician in the U.S. can prescribe buprenorphine. The old X-waiver requirement has been removed.