Buprenorphine implants for treatment of opioid dependence: randomized comparison to placebo and sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone.

Aims: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of buprenorphine implants (BI) versus placebo implants (PI) for the treatment of opioid dependence. A secondary aim compared BI to open-label sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone tablets (BNX).

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Buprenorphine implants for treatment of opioid dependence: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: Limitations of existing pharmacological treatments for opioid dependence include low adherence, medication diversion, and emergence of withdrawal symptoms.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of buprenorphine implants that provide a low, steady level of buprenorphine over 6 months for the treatment of opioid dependence.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-month trial conducted at 18 sites in the United States between April 2007 and June 2008.

The Physician Clinical Support System-Buprenorphine (PCSS-B): a novel project to expand/improve buprenorphine treatment.

Opioid dependence is largely an undertreated medical condition in the United States. The introduction of buprenorphine has created the potential to expand access to and use of opioid agonist treatment in generalist settings. Physicians, however, often have limited training and experience providing this type of care.

Community treatment programs take up buprenorphine.

Clinicians have been working out ways to incorporate buprenorphine into their treatment models. Representatives of three addiction treatment programs - a Veterans Affairs methadone clinic, a group of outpatient mental health centers, and a nationwide organization of therapeutic communities - talk about their plans and experiences.

A placebo-controlled screening trial of olanzapine, valproate, and coenzyme Q10/L-carnitine for the treatment of cocaine dependence.

Aims: To conduct a medication screening trial on the efficacy of olanzapine, valproate or coenzyme Q10/L-carnitine combination versus placebo for the treatment of cocaine dependence.

Design: A four-arm, modified blinded, parallel group study in an out-patient setting using the Cocaine Rapid Efficacy and Safety Trials (CREST) study design.

Setting: The study was performed at the New York Medications Development Research Unit (MDRU).

Pharmacists' and technicians' perceptions and attitudes toward dispensing buprenorphine/ naloxone to patients with opioid dependence.

Objective: To assess the perceptions and attitudes of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians involved in an office-based opioid dependence treatment program using buprenorphine/naloxone.

Design: Cross-sectional attitudinal assessment.

Setting: Community, outpatient hospital, and clinic pharmacies.

Office-based treatment of opiate addiction with a sublingual-tablet formulation of buprenorphine and naloxone.

Background: Office-based treatment of opiate addiction with a sublingual-tablet formulation of buprenorphine and naloxone has been proposed, but its efficacy and safety have not been well studied.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 326 opiate-addicted persons who were assigned to office-based treatment with sublingual tablets consisting of buprenorphine (16 mg) in combination with naloxone (4 mg), buprenorphine alone (16 mg), or placebo given daily for four weeks. The primary outcome measures were the percentage of urine samples negative for opiates and the subjects' self-reported craving for opiates.