Many US physicians are looking at the possibility of using Sublocade for the treatment of opioid addiction, as the opioid epidemic continues to affect the nation. The medication, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in November 2017, is injected once a month to control withdrawal symptoms and ward off opioid cravings.
The drug has a long-lasting effect, and it has been administered to hundreds of addicted individuals in the US. Sublocade contains buprenorphine, the same active ingredient used in Suboxone. Suboxone is considered one of the most effective ways of treating opioid addiction.
US doctors are hopeful that Sublocade can enter the market soon. The drug’s slow release is designed to ward off opioid cravings for 30 days. Click the link to see Boston's top rehab placement programs.
Physicians agree that different types of treatments work for different types of patients. Addiction affects everyone differently, after all. But medication-assisted treatment, in general, has proven more effective compared to pure abstinence. Different medications used in treatment programs have varying degrees of effectiveness, and Sublocade is considered helpful in terms of long term management of opioid cravings.
Indivior, the company that sells Suboxone, is also behind this new product.
The company specializes in addiction treatment, and it sells Sublocade at a wholesale cost of about $1,600 per month. Meanwhile, more and more companies are trying to move into the longer-acting injectable buprenorphine market.
US doctors say that it can be particularly effective in terms of health and cost benefits. There are generic versions of the drug, but they are yet to hit the markets. Even at the higher price, the drug is worthwhile because of its effectiveness.
Philadelphia-based psychiatrist Dr. David Clements says that the drug can have a significant impact on the current opioid crisis. “I don't think it would be an understatement to suggest that this is the medication that would turn the tide of the opioid epidemic.”
Clements is one of the few physicians with a license to administer Sublocade in Philadelphia. In 2017, more than 1,000 residents died of an opioid overdose in that area. Clements said his clinic prescribe between 30 and 50 patients with Sublocade each month.
One significant benefit of Sublocade over Suboxone is the fact that patients are less responsible for its intake. While Suboxone is highly effective, with a 40 to 60 percent sobriety rate, some patients end up selling the pills or quit taking them for some reason. Because Sublocade is injected, patients can come in once a month, take the medication and be done with it.
People with severe opioid use disorder or any type of addiction can have a hard time remembering to take a pill once a day. This proves to be another barrier towards sobriety. It is also quite dangerous because patients who miss or skip a pill can go through severe withdrawals. But luckily, this new medication is providing a realistic solution.
At the very least, this new drug can be another weapon in the fight against the opioid epidemic.
People Struggling With Opioid Addiction Praise Sublocade for its Effectiveness. Lauren Biggerstaff, a 26-year old mother who lives outside of Philadelphia, switched to Sublocade after five years of taking Suboxone for her opioid addiction. It wasn’t until she landed inside a jail cell that she decided to tackle her addiction head on. And while Suboxone was effective for a while, Sublocade eventually proved to be more convenient.
Once a month, Biggerstaff gets an injection into her belly, which releases Sublocade slowly into her system so that her opioid cravings will be blocked.
“I really didn't want to go back there,” she said. For patients like Biggerstaff, the treatment has had a life-changing impact.
Both doctors and patients are now hoping that the drug would become more accessible in the US, as more and more people are dying from opioid-related overdose.
“I feel normal,” said Biggerstaff. “There's no day of me waking up or anything where I don't feel good.”
If someone in the family is struggling with opioid addiction, it is important to seek help. A combination of medical detox-rehab and behavioral therapy can go a long way in the fight against drug abuse. But because every individual is affected by addiction differently, a comprehensive program tailored to their specific needs is necessary. Look for a nearby addiction treatment facility today and find out how drug treatment programs work.
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