Are there advantages and disadvantages of buprenorphine versus methadone treatment?
Buprenorphine and methadone are safe and effective treatments for opioid dependence. Controlled studies using appropriate and roughly comparable doses for maintenance have shown that both of these medications are helpful in reducing illicit opiate use and increasing treatment retention, especially when combined with some level of psychosocial support. Effective treatment for opioid dependence can be accomplished in both specialized settings such as a methadone treatment program and in-other vein-les such as a-physician’s office or other community based treatment setting. Although it is still too early to assess how effective buprenorphine will be overall as an alternative treatment for opioid dependence, some of buprenorphine’s features may be of particular interest to patients seeking medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence. Certainly, patients interested in having some flexibility where they receive treatment may prefer buprenorphine because they can access treatment wit
