Buprenorphine

A medication used for the treatment of opioid addiction

What is Buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine is one type of medication used for the treatment of opioid addiction. Opioid addiction is a chronic disease, like heart disease or diabetes. A chronic disease is a medical condition for life. It cannot be cured, but it can be managed. A person with an addiction can regain a healthy, productive life.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

MAT is an addiction treatment that includes the use of medication along with counseling and other support. Taking medication for opioid addiction is like taking medication to control heart disease or diabetes. It is NOT the same as substituting one addictive drug for another. When appropriately used, Buprenorphine medication does NOT create a new addiction.

Proper dosing

The pill is taken once a day. Over time, the dosing interval may stay at once a day or change to every other day.

Benefits for Patients

The patient is unlikely to overdose on buprenorphine if taken correctly.
Buprenorphine is long-acting; therefore, reducing the dosage to every other day is possible.
Doctors can prescribe buprenorphine in take-home doses.

Benefits for Physicians

Provides options other than narcotic maintenance
MAT is billable through insurance, Medicare (in 2020), and Medicaid
A means of helping the community by reducing the chances of fatal opioid overdoses

Local Provider Outreach

Our Behavioral Health Team has been reaching out to local healthcare providers to discuss medication-assisted treatment and to provide information on the waiver to practice opioid dependency treatment with buprenorphine.

For more information, please contact:
The Local Behavioral Health Authority
St. Mary’s County Health Department
Email: smchd.lbha@maryland.gov
Phone: (301) 475-4330