Posted by Crotale on June 20, 2008, at 0:30:55
In reply to Re: Does anyone have the original buprenorphine study?, posted by undopaminergic on May 29, 2008, at 22:43:56
I've been taking Buprenex for depression since around 1998 (before it was approved for maintenance treatment of addiction in the US, where I live). At times I've had trouble getting a doctor to prescribe it since 2000. I won't say there is any *good* reason for this, but there's some presumption in the medical community that if it's used for maintenance treatment of addiction, then it must be addictive itself. In fact I haven't had issues with substance abuse the entire time I've been on buprenorphine.
Also, there has been some misinterpretation of the 2000 law that permits the use of Subutex and Suboxone for maintenance treatment of opioid dependence (the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 [DATA]). This law has *nothing* to do with the off-label use of buprenorphine to treat depression. It doesn't say that a psychiatrist has to have a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for depression, *only* for addiction. The off-label use of buprenorphine for depression is perfectly legal. It does not require a waiver, nor should you see an addiction specialist or go to a methadone clinic or somesuch to get your depression treated. It is also perfectly legal to prescribe buprenorphine for pain. Indeed that is the approved use of Buprenex.
Here's a link to the site that explains the DATA:
http://buprenorphine.samhsa.gov/index.htmlCrotale
poster:Crotale
thread:831927
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080617/msgs/835594.html