Tuesday, August 12, 2003

New Drug Promises Shift in Treatment for Heroin Addicts
New York Times story on buprenorphine - "For many addicts, though not all, buprenorphine does what methadone does, blocking the addict's craving for a high, but experts and addicts say it has several advantages over the older drug, and the most important may be that a patient can get a supply, not merely a dose, with a visit to a doctor and pharmacy. Like methadone, buprenorphine (pronounced byoo-pre-NOR-feen) is addictive, but the risk of overdose is much lower. Unlike methadone, buprenorphine will not give an addict more than a mild high no matter how large the dose, and it cannot be combined with opiates or other narcotics to get higher still. Users suffer fewer unpleasant side effects, and milder withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].