The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced an interim final rule that will permit use of buprenorphine for opioid treatment programs.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced an interim final rule that will permit use of Buprenorphine for Opioid Drug Treatment programs serving persons addicted to heroin or narcotic pain relievers along with methadone and ORLAAM.
SAMHSA, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance prevention, addiction and treatment and mental health services in the United States. Information on SAMHSA's program is available on the Internet at www.samhsa.gov.
The rule enables opioid treatment programs that are certified by SAMHSA to use the newly approved Buprenorphine products, Subutex and Suboxone, for the maintenance or detoxification treatment of dependence on opioids such as heroin or prescription pain relievers.
Subutex is formulated as a sublingual tablet that contains either 2 or 8 milligrams of Buprenorphine while Suboxone is a fixed combination sublingual tablet that contains 2 milligrams of buprenorphine with 0.5 milligrams of naloxone, and 8 milligrams of Buprenorphine together with 2 milligrams of naloxone. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist and is present in the Suboxone formulation to reduce its risk of intravenous abuse.
Buprenorphine's unique formulation limits diversion by causing severe withdrawal symptoms in those who inject it to get "high", but no adverse effects when taken orally (naloxone is minimally absorbed when taken orally).
"The availability and application of Buprenorphine marked a new day in the treatment of addiction," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie. "With this interim final rule, physicians in opioid treatment programs will be able to improve, expand and tailor treatment for the individual needs of their patients." Some patients will do better on one of the Buprenorphine medications while others may still require Methadone or ORLAAM.
Changing the Culture of Drug Abuse Treatment
In 2000, Congress passed the Drug Addiction Treatment Act, allowing qualified physicians to prescribe narcotic medications (Schedules III to V) for the treatment of opioid addiction. This created a major paradigm shift that allowed access to heroin treatment in a medical setting rather than limiting it to methadone clinics.
Weyland Consultation Services has developed strategies that minimize the diversion liability of opiate medications. Their drug addiction programs have demonstrated a robust effect in reducing opiate use and drug cravings in heroine abusers and have confirmed its safety and acceptability.
Weyland Consultation Services specializes in designing outpatient treatment programs that address the values and beliefs of the people they serve, thereby increasing their ability to engage and participate as active collaborants in their treatment. They offer a gender specific drug treatment programs that gives the drug abuser a viable outpatient opportunity to attain recovery. These outpatient services are provided in a calm and soothing environment that is discreet while supporting the patient's efforts to take the risk to the necessary steps toward ongoing recovery at the patients pace.
If you want more information about Opioid Drug Treatment Programs utilizing Buprenorphine for its effect in reducing opiate use and drug cravings in heroine abusers and reside in the Northern California, San Francisco Bay Area - Oakland, Berkley, Danville, Concord and Walnut Creek areas - visit their website www.WeylandDetoxServices.com/ or call (925) 945-7816 ext. 41.
