title: The misuse of buprenorphine and a buprenorphine-naloxone combination in Wellington, New Zealand.
abstract: Two surveys of 12 months duration were undertaken on opioid users presenting to the Wellington Alcohol and Drug Centre before and after the introduction of a combination buprenorphine 0.2 mg-naloxone 0.17 mg tablet (Bu-Nx), which was launched in 1991 in the hope of reducing intravenous misuse. There was considerable intravenous (i.v.) misuse of buprenorphine 0.2 mg tablets (Bu) in 1990 with self-reports of misuse in 81% of the patients over the 4 weeks prior to presentation, and 65% of the patients had buprenorphine in their urine. In the repeat survey 57% reported misuse of the Bu-Nx combination over the previous 4 weeks, and 43% had buprenorphine +/- naloxone detected in their urine. There was a reduction in the street price of Bu-Nx. One-third of the patients who used Bu-Nx i.v. reported instances of withdrawal symptoms, and subjectively the drug was less attractive to misusers. The combination product may have less misuse potential than buprenorphine alone, but it remains a preparation, in the dosages employed, that is intravenously misused.
authors.affiliation: Wellington Alcohol and Drug Centre, Wellington School of Medicine, Radiochemistry Laboratory, Wellington Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Dukes
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Mahoney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002047:Buprenorphine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009270:Naloxone; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D009270:Naloxone; D002047:Buprenorphine