The case for buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid addiction is overwhelming, yet stigmas and biases still remain leading to inadequate treatment of those battling addiction. “Basing medical decisions on beliefs about medications does nothing to help the growing pool of those with [opioid use disorder], who if untreated are likely to fall victim to an overdose”, says Dr. Joshua A. Barocas, of Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Barocas emphasizes the need for an educational campaign to dispel the myth that someone who is taking an agonist to combat opioid addiction is not “addicted” to the medication.

Buprenorphine for opioid addiction is the only medication with federal limits on the number of patients a doctor can treat. Even buprenorphine for the purpose of treating pain does not have a patient cap.