Subutex vs Suboxone: What's the difference between them?
Both Subutex and Suboxone contain buprenorphine, a medication that can help people beat opioid addiction by minimizing withdrawal symptoms and easing cravings. Both Subutex and Suboxone are taken once a day and can be either given by a healthcare professional or taken home for at-home use.
But there are differences between them, such as:
- Subutex contains only buprenorphine but Suboxone contains naloxone in addition to buprenorphine (naloxone helps protect people from an inadvertent opioid overdose)
- Subutex is a sublingual tablet and Suboxone is a film that you put under your tongue
- Subutex was approved in 1981 and Suboxone has been available since 2002.
- Both Subutex and Suboxone can be initiated early by a doctor as part of an opioid treatment program. The brand name Subutex has been discontinued in the U.S. but it is available as generic buprenorphine sublingual tablets.
For more information see our slideshow Opioid Use Disorder: These Treatments Are Available, Now.
Read next
How long does Suboxone stay in your system?
The effects of Suboxone last for 24 hours. After one dose of Suboxone, no trace of the drug would be expected to be found after 5 to 8 days in healthy people, or 7 to 14 days in those with severe liver disease. Continue reading
How long does Suboxone block opiates?
Suboxone blocks the effects of full opioids (such as heroin, fentanyl, or morphine) for at least 24 hours, in some people, the effects may last up to 60 hours. Continue reading
Does Suboxone show up on a drug test?
Suboxone will only show up on a drug test if the panel specifically tests for buprenorphine or its metabolites, or for naloxone. Suboxone will not cause false positives for other opioids. Continue reading
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