Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is an increasingly pressing public crisis in the United States. The misuse of drugs disrupts relationships, harms work performance, and causes serious health risks. Thus, treatment for this disease is crucial. OUD affects over 16 million people worldwide and over 2.1 million in the US. Typical treatments for OUD are neither accessible nor effective in many cases. So, how does suboxone compare to standard treatments of OUD?

The Average OUD Treatments

One of the typical treatments of OUD is detoxification. The treatment is very appealing for those who want a medication-free recovery. The main problem is that detoxification is an ineffective treatment. According to the CATC, detoxification, and drug-free techniques only provide a 5%-10% success rate. Additionally, the treatment is expensive along with its subpar results. However, there is another promising option. 

Methadone is an effective medication which treats opioid addiction. It is a long-acting opioid agonist that treats OUD by reducing opioid craving and withdrawals. The problem is that methadone is not readily available. In 2020, only around 311,000 of the 2.7 million people diagnosed with OUD were treated with methadone. Methadone is not widely available because methadone is only available at opioid treatment programs (OTPs). This drawback holds methadone back as an option. 

The Solution: Suboxone

The past treatments bring us to suboxone. This is a relatively new OUD treatment medication. It is composed of two different medications, buprenorphine and naloxone. Suboxone’s main result is blocking opioid receptors, reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Research from the NIH reveals that about 49% of participants reduced prescription painkiller abuse during a 12-week suboxone treatment. Suboxone is not only readily available but also incredibly effective. 

In conclusion, suboxone is not only an effective OUD treatment medication but is also far more accessible than other treatments. It yields great results by combining two medications that complement each other. Are you interested in suboxone to treat OUD? Get in touch with Dr. Watson today through one of our facilities in Philadelphia.

Sources:

• https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/opioid-use-disorder
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553166/#:~:text=Thus%2C%20OUD%20can%20range%20from,million%20in%20the%20United%20States.
• https://canatc.ca/methadone-treatment-program-success-rate/#:~:text=Long%2DTerm%20Abstinence&text=However%2C%20it%20only%20yields%20a,has%20become%20an%20international%20standard.
• https://www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/medications-counseling-related-conditions/methadone
• https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/05/17/how-can-patients-access-methadone-in-other-countries
• https://americanaddictioncenters.org/suboxone
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/painkiller-abuse-treated-sustained-buprenorphine-naloxone#:~:text=Results%20showed%20that%20approximately%2049,percent%20once%20Suboxone%20was%20discontinued.