The world of substance abuse treatment has been waiting to see if the Suboxone implant would be approved by the FDA and available for us.

Suboxone, or buprenorphine, is used to help opiate addicts get clean. Opiates are painkilling drugs like heroin, morphine, and codeine, and prescription pill versions like OxyContin, Vicodin , and Norco. When someone is ready to stop taking an opiate, the withdrawal is very difficult, so Suboxone is used to relieve some of the pain and discomfort.

Reduce Cravings

Also, Suboxone helps reduce cravings for opiates, and in some cases, has been proven to stop the user from getting high. In other words, if you are taking Suboxone and you inject heroin, for example, you will not feel the high that heroin usually provides.

The idea behind the implant is to give the opiate addict a daily dose of Suboxone so he or she will not want to get high, and will know that a high will not be felt if an opiate is used. The implant serves as a crutch during the early stages of recovery without the person having to get a daily dose from a doctor or clinic each day, as is the case with Methadone.

So why was the Suboxone implant approval delayed if it can seemingly help people during the hardest parts of getting clean?

Well, Suboxone is an opiate too, so the FDA wants further research results showing the implant’s safety and effectiveness.

FDA Hesitates On Helpful Opiates

The FDA does not want to approve an opiate without proof that it only helps people. What if the Suboxone implant can somehow be manipulated and the user can get high and even overdose on the drug? Is that really any better than using heroin, codeine, or Vicodin?

Many with more clinical trials and positive results, the Suboxone implant will receive FDA approval and be added to the list, but for now, medical professionals can prescribe other medications to help opiate addicts go through withdrawal and early recovery. Learn more about opiate addiction treatment offered at Sovereign Health Group Blog Post By: Jared Friedman