SUBOXONE® (buprenorphine / naloxone) 

Subutex® and Suboxone® are the only forms of buprenorphine with FDA approval for the treatment of opioid addiction.

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone® is a unique treatment available to those experiencing dependence on prescription pain killers and other legal or illicit opioids. Suboxone® has a novel formulation consisting of buprenorphine and naloxone. 

The buprenorphine component of Suboxone works to reduce cravings by attaching to opioid receptors and providing relief from opioid withdrawal.  The naloxone component is added in order to prevent misuse of Suboxone.  Naloxone is an opioid blocker which, when overused, causes a magnified or precipitated state of opioid withdrawal symptomology (1). In other words, if a patient abuses Suboxone, he or she will experience a highly aversive state of withdrawal and physical discomfort because naloxone works to block buprenorphine's abusable effects. 

The fact that this treatment can be prescribed in the privacy of a doctor’s office makes buprenorphine a more versatile form of opioid dependence treatment.

How Does Suboxone Work?

• Read the Suboxone Film Fact Sheet
  
• Doctor Discussion Guide
  

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Additional Resources:

The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

CLINICS PROVIDING SUBOXONE®

(1) Sirohi, S., Dighe, S.V., Madia, P.A., &  Yoburn, B.C. (2009). The relative potency of inverse opioid agonists and a neutral opioid antagonist in precipitated withdrawal and antagonism of analgesia and toxicity. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 330(2): 513–9. doi: 10.1124/jpet.109.152678.