[Buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence: a study on generic substitution conducted in community pharmacies].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the evolution of buprenorphine prescription form characteristics before and after the application of a measure of the French Social Security system aimed to encourage the use of generic drugs.


METHODS
All buprenorphine prescription forms issued to sixty-two patients subjected to follow-up in 6 community pharmacies were analysed between October 2007 and February 2008.


RESULTS
Patients maintained on Subutex during the whole follow-up were more numerous (n=39), younger, and received a higher daily dose of buprenorphine (10.5 mg versus 7.8 mg), compared to patients maintained on generic (n=13). For patients receiving again Subutex after have been treated by a generic (n=10), daily doses remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that the patients stabilized on generic present less serious pharmacodependence and less psychiatric comorbidity than those maintained on Subutex. Substituting a buprenorphine speciality with another should not induce any treatment unsettlement.
Julians-Minou
Gaëlle
G
Unité de Pharmacoépidémiologie, EA 3696, Université de Toulouse, Centre d'Evaluation et d'Information sur la Pharmacodépendance-Addictovigilance, Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Hôpitaux de Toulouse, France.
Bruch
Sarah
S
Peyre
Nathalie
N
Sudérie
Guillaume
G
Lapeyre-Mestre
Maryse
M
Roussin
Anne
A
D000328:Adult; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010594:Pharmacies; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D002047:Buprenorphine