Several patients in St. Louis received probuphine implants as part of a clinical trial overseen by Malik.

Donna Nevels, of Bethalto, became addicted to prescription painkillers after oral surgery and fell into a deep depression. Last year she completed outpatient treatment at Centerpointe. As part of a clinical trial, she received the implant and oral buprenorphine, one of which was a placebo.

Nevels, 43, said the implant takes away the addict’s choice to remain in treatment, which can be an obstacle.

“I think that if people have an option to put the medicine in their mouth every day, there could be potential room for somebody to relapse,” she said. “Where if the implant is there, there is no craving.”

Other options in opiate addiction include methadone, another opiate that doesn’t produce the same high, but is available only at specialized clinics that distribute the drug daily because of its potential for abuse. Naltrexone blocks the effects of opiates and is also available in a once monthly shot called Vivitrol. Naloxone, better known by brand name Narcan, can reverse an opiate overdose if given immediately, but is not a long-term fix.