Suboxone vs. Subutex....who can prescribe?

Hello!
    
     I was wondering if anyone in this forum might be able to help me out with a couple questions I have regarding Subutex and Suboxone.

       1.  Can any doctor prescribe Subutex to any type of patient, male or female?
       2.  Any ideas on what you can do when you live in such a small state that you cannot find another Suboxone
           doctor.  I have been on Suboxone for around 10 months now and my doctor just quit practicing medicine
           and let her DEA certificate expire.  She gave myself and around 50 other patient's a 6 month refill on the Suboxone and a letter containing possible providers.  She didn't get us into anybody or anything and it turns out none of the places that treat patient's with Suboxone are taking new patient's or there is a couple that take patient's that only live in there town or some that will prescribe to you, but by the daily route.  In the state I live in I would have to drive over 300 miles everyday to get my one dose for the day.  I also do not live in a town that has a provider for Suboxone, so I basically have nobody to see.  Thanks!

[HenryS354]

No, Any doctor can not prescribe Suboxone/Subutex.  They must go through a short course to become a Certified Buprenorphine Provider.  Upon completing they are issued a seperate DEA # that allows them to prescribe sub.  This number is only used in the writing of buprenorphine scripts.  Upon completion, for their first year I believe they can only have a load of 30 patients that they can prescribe to. After that year is up, they can prescribe up to 100 patients.  This is why Suboxone clinics/docs have such long waiting lists.

I would suggest using the physician locator service on the National Alliance and Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment. You can find it at

www.NAABT.ORG

Good luck, I hope this helps!

Henry

[kc156]

Hello. Hope Henry gave you info to help you.This seems to be an issue with all the maintenance programs,that you can be suddenly left out in the cold. Hope you make out well with Henry's good info.                              karl