Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder: SAMHSA Advisory

Opioid misuse is a significant problem in the United States. According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 914,000 people age 12 or older used heroin in the past year and 4.3 million people currently engage in nonmedical use of pain relievers.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an important part of an effective response to opioid use disorder and has been found to reduce morbidity and mortality, decrease overdose deaths, reduce transmission of infectious disease, increase treatment retention, improve social functioning, and reduce criminal activity.

This Advisory reviews current information on the use of sublingual and transmucosal buprenorphine for MAT of opioid use disorder. Topics include new formulations of buprenorphine, the effectiveness and safety of buprenorphine treatment, contraindications and cautions (including medication interactions), informed consent and treatment agreements, treatment monitoring, and indications of diversion and misuse.

Download the SAMHSA Advisory