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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2009, 11, 1 (pages: 23 - 30)

Use and Abuse of High-Dose Buprenorphine (HDB) Obtained Without a Prescription: a French Survey

Courty P.

Summary: Objectives: To gain information on the profile of patients using High-Dose Buprenorphine in France without a medical prescription. Methods: This was a naturalistic survey on 27 survey sites (n=298) comprising three different groups: people who had always obtained their HDB without a prescription, people who had obtained HDB both with and without a prescription over the previous month and an intermediary group who had previously obtained it on prescription, but not over the course of the previous month. Results: In terms of treatment and supervision objectives, significant differences were found between the group of patients who were under the supervision of a doctor and those who continued to obtain HDB without any prescription. Discussion: Medical supervision is a central factor in treatment. Conclusion: Treatment education for patients, medical training for prescribers, and pharmaceutical form appear to be means that need to be developed simultaneously to optimize the treatment.