Suboxone Research

Suboxone is a drug used to treat opioid addiction. Opioids are a highly addictive class of drugs that include heroin and prescriptions drugs such as Oxycontin. Research into the use of suboxone for opioid recovery has been going on since about 1990.

History

• According to Suboxone Rehab Treatment, research into the use of suboxone for opioid treatment has shown it is appropriate for long-term maintenance therapy for patients in recovery from addiction. The research shows that suboxone maintenance helps reduce opiate use and keep patients in treatment with few side effects.

Significance

• Research on suboxone has shown it can be particularly helpful for people with opioid addictions who are also HIV positive. Since suboxone has few side effects, it is helpful for people on HIV medications who often experience significant side effects from those medications.

Considerations

• According to "Addiction Treatment" magazine, a study by Schuman-Olivier and colleagues found that suboxone can be abused and this generally occurs with people trying to recover from opioid addiction but who cannot afford treatment. These individuals may use suboxone to treat anxiety and pain and ease withdrawal from opioids.