HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!!

[MED HELP INTERNATIONAL]

Within the next day or so, we will have a new addiction medicine specialist available to answer questions in this forum.  We know that you will appreciate his generosity, as he's volunteering his own time & expertise to help people in need.

Please help us by making sure that each new question is indeed a question and not just a "good morning" wish, or other such communication.  Because of funding & time limitations, the doctor will only be able to accept 2 new questions each day.

We'll give you more of the details as we get them....

Best wishes,
Cindy & Phil

Med Help International

[mrmichael67]

Here is the link:  http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/subutex_suboxone/default.htm

[groovygirl]

Thanks for the info.  Did you get this info at a website?  If so, could you tell me where?  I'd like to read more.  I wonder if they will provide a list of which doctors meet that criteria?

[groovygirl]

I live in MA, and I guess I don't have a prayer of finding a Dr. who has received the training.  I've gone thru the yellow pages, and just ran down the list.  It's an interesting story about how the "powers that be" do not want anything to take business away from Methadone clinics in MA.  It is all political.  I'm doing this "research" on Subutex not only for myself, but also for the public.  There are a lot of frustrated addicts in this state, who are losing hope because of this Subutex thing.  Apparently, many people were under the impression that their own family doc could prescribe this.  I've heard that doctors have to have special training and also can only treat 30 patients with it at a time.  Pharmacies in the area say they won't have it in stock for months and months.  It's just a bunch of b.s. - makes me sick.

[mrmichael67]

I am sure some people already know the information I am about to post, but I am sure this will be informative for some.  So, here goes.  In order for a physician to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid dependence, he or she must meet ONE of the following:

1.  Hold a sub-specialty board certification in addiction psychiatry from the American Board of Medical Specialties.

2.  Hold an addiction certification from the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

3.  Hold a sub-specialty board certification in addiction medicine from the American Osteopathic Association.

4.  Have completed NOT LESS than 8 hours of authorized training on the treatment of management of opioid dependent patients.

They must also meet BOTH of these requirements:

1.  Have the capacity to provide or to refer patients for necessary ancillary services, such as psychosocial therapy.

2.  Treat no more than 30 patients.


After these requirements are met, the physician will apply for a special DEA registration number.  When the physician writes a prescription for Subutex or Suboxone, he or she must have both DEA registration numbers on the prescription.

[mrmichael67]

Only addiction docs with special DEA certification numbers can prescribe buprenorphine for opiate dependence.  Regular docs can only prescribe it for pain legally.

[mrmichael67]

From what I have heard, Subutex and Suboxone will be in pharmacies in a couple of months.  I would imagine they are producing it in quantity now after the approval.  They produced it in limited supplies for studies and other countries.  I am sure their production has increased one million fold.