Buprenorphine use in Indiana
Buprenorphine is an opiate (a derivative of themaine) that is used for treating patients suffering from opioid addiction. Opioid addiction is a chronic medical condition requiring long-term treatment and patient support. Buprenorphine is the medicine of choice to treat opiate addiction as proper medication assisted therapy involving buprenorphine is far superior to that provided under traditional treatment programs that involve methadone and LAAM (levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol). Traditional opiate dependence treatments are presently dispensed only at a few select centers that focus on opiate addiction treatment. The number of such centers still falls short of the actual number of such centers required for assisting all patients who seek treatment. Buprenorphine on the other hand can be prescribed in the office of a doctor duly authorized under relevant law.
Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist. In plain words this means that in lower doses it produces sufficient opioid agonist effects that it allows the patient to detox without experiencing the painful withdrawal symptoms associated with discontinuing the misuse of opioids. It also carries a much lower risk of addiction abuse as it has an upper ceiling limit, which means that after a certain dosage level, higher doses of buprenorphine fail to produce greater agonistic effects. This makes it safer in case of accidental overdose. Buprenorphine is administered sublingually. The tablet/pill is placed under the tongue where it dissolves and is absorbed fully after some fifteen or twenty minutes. Sucking on the pill or swallowing it does not provide any therapeutic benefit.
Prior to 2002 Buprenorphine, a schedule V drug, and was marketed in the US as a parenteral analgesic under the brandname Buprenex. Later, on evaluation for abuse, dependence, diversion and side effects it was reclassified as a Schedule III narcotic from one under Schedule V. After October 2002, it became available in the market as Subutex. Another combination product Suboxone contained nalaxone along with buprenorphine in order to reduce the risk of abuse by injection. These are the only formulations of buprenorphine to have received FDA approval as opioid treatment drugs.
Under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) qualified physicians are certified to allow them to dispense or prescribe narcotic medications mentioned on schedule III, IV and V for treating patients with opioid addictions, under medication assisted opioid addiction therapy. As there is only one narcotic medication, Buprenorphine, approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) under all the three schedules, DATA 2000 is basically all about authorization for prescribing/dispensing BUPRENORPHINE. Physicians intending to prescribe buprenorphine for treating substance abuse patients are required to apply for a waiver under the DATA law from the special registration requirements mandated by the Controlled Substances Act relevant to administering buprenorphine treatment. They also have to undergo training for a minimum duration of eight-hours before receiving authorization.
There are just 22 doctors licensed to administer/prescribe Buprenorphine treatment in the State of Indiana. Buprenorphine is a scheduled III drug and a physician is allowed to prescribe a maximum of five refills of this drug over a period of six months. Although Buprenorphine is an anti opioid addiction drug used in opioid detoxification it can itself lead to addiction and is therefore administered under very strict, controlled and expert supervision. There are only about 8000 certified physicians in the US who are authorized to prescribe/ administer Buprenorphine dependant treatment.
Buprenorphine is an opiate (a derivative of themaine) that is used for treating patients suffering from opioid addiction. Opioid addiction is a chronic medical condition requiring long-term treatment and patient support. Buprenorphine is the medicine of choice to treat opiate addiction as proper medication assisted therapy involving buprenorphine is far superior to that provided under traditional treatment programs that involve methadone and LAAM (levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol). Traditional opiate dependence treatments are presently dispensed only at a few select centers that focus on opiate addiction treatment. The number of such centers still falls short of the actual number of such centers required for assisting all patients who seek treatment. Buprenorphine on the other hand can be prescribed in the office of a doctor duly authorized under relevant law.
Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist. In plain words this means that in lower doses it produces sufficient opioid agonist effects that it allows the patient to detox without experiencing the painful withdrawal symptoms associated with discontinuing the misuse of opioids. It also carries a much lower risk of addiction abuse as it has an upper ceiling limit, which means that after a certain dosage level, higher doses of buprenorphine fail to produce greater agonistic effects. This makes it safer in case of accidental overdose. Buprenorphine is administered sublingually. The tablet/pill is placed under the tongue where it dissolves and is absorbed fully after some fifteen or twenty minutes. Sucking on the pill or swallowing it does not provide any therapeutic benefit.
Prior to 2002 Buprenorphine, a schedule V drug, and was marketed in the US as a parenteral analgesic under the brandname Buprenex. Later, on evaluation for abuse, dependence, diversion and side effects it was reclassified as a Schedule III narcotic from one under Schedule V. After October 2002, it became available in the market as Subutex. Another combination product Suboxone contained nalaxone along with buprenorphine in order to reduce the risk of abuse by injection. These are the only formulations of buprenorphine to have received FDA approval as opioid treatment drugs.
Under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) qualified physicians are certified to allow them to dispense or prescribe narcotic medications mentioned on schedule III, IV and V for treating patients with opioid addictions, under medication assisted opioid addiction therapy. As there is only one narcotic medication, Buprenorphine, approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) under all the three schedules, DATA 2000 is basically all about authorization for prescribing/dispensing BUPRENORPHINE. Physicians intending to prescribe buprenorphine for treating substance abuse patients are required to apply for a waiver under the DATA law from the special registration requirements mandated by the Controlled Substances Act relevant to administering buprenorphine treatment. They also have to undergo training for a minimum duration of eight-hours before receiving authorization.
There are just 22 doctors licensed to administer/prescribe Buprenorphine treatment in the State of Indiana. Buprenorphine is a scheduled III drug and a physician is allowed to prescribe a maximum of five refills of this drug over a period of six months. Although Buprenorphine is an anti opioid addiction drug used in opioid detoxification it can itself lead to addiction and is therefore administered under very strict, controlled and expert supervision. There are only about 8000 certified physicians in the US who are authorized to prescribe/ administer Buprenorphine dependant treatment.
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Information on this page last updated on 09/17/2007