How do buprenorphine and methadone compare?
Buprenorphine is approved for use in the treatment of opioid dependence in a large number of countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Iran, England, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist at the opioid receptor, as opposed to a full agonist such as methadone or heroin. This means that buprenorphine has a unique pharmacologic profile leading to a lower likelihood of overdose or respiratory depression. Like methadone, buprenorphine has the ability to suppress opioid craving and withdrawal, block the effects of self-administered opioids, retain patients in treatment, and decrease illicit opioid use. Because it is a partial agonist, buprenorphine maintains patients in a milder degree of physical dependence and is associated with milder withdrawal syndrome following cessation. Clinical trials comparing the efficacy of buprenorphine to methadone on the outcomes of retention and illicit opioid use have demonstrated simil
