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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2008, 10, 3 (pages: 5 - 12)

When a New Drug Promotes the Integration of Treatment Modalities: Suboxone and Harm Reduction

Maremmani I.

Summary: In medicine, the introduction of a new drug is often associated with an overall enhanced understanding of the clinical issues that originally stimulated its own development. Sometimes newer drugs must be introduced to counter the improper use of existing drugs. In this paper, we discuss some concepts regarding the pharmacotherapy of heroin addiction (regarding blocking dosages and stabilization dosages), the advantages and disadvantages of opioid agonists in the pharmacotherapy of heroin addiction, the role of motivation for harm reduction strategies, the difficulties of methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone and naloxone use in harm reduction strategies, and the possible use of buprenorphine-naloxone combination in harm reduction strategies. A buprenorphine-naloxone combination is not only a clinical improvement over pre-existing treatments, but it also represents a good example of a drug designed to limit the misuse of another resulting in the integration of different modalities of intervention, previously believed to be in opposition.