You can get opioid use disorder treatment from home. Care, including Suboxone prescriptions, can now start through telemedicine. It reaches people who stay away because clinics are full, waits are long or they want privacy.
Summary: The opioid crisis and opiate abuse have only gotten worse in recent years, even as opioid prescribing has dropped. It is no secret that many people with OUD do not seek treatment. There are many reasons. Clinics are not taking new patients, or people are just hesitant to seek help. But telemedicine now offers hope. Doctors can treat OUD through online apps or platforms. They can also prescribe drugs like suboxone, which combines buprenorphine and naloxone.
It is no secret that there are many reasons so many people do not get OUD treatment. One is that there are not enough clinics and specialists. Many clinics are also not taking new patients, and waits are long.
Another reason, maybe a bigger one, is that people with any kind of addiction do not want to go to clinics. They hold back. They think others would not understand their problem. Or they simply do not want to travel or ask for help.
But what if we told you that you can now get opioid treatment programs online, along with prescriptions for medicine? Many states have finally approved telemedicine for treating OUD. Given how big the problem is, it is the right step.
For most people with opioid addiction, privacy is also a big reason they do not seek help. Now they can get treatment in the privacy of their home and even get prescription medicine.
Many clinics have now launched online OUD treatment, and it is fully legal. But there are some rules to meet. For example, the DEA requires patients to have a live video interview with a health care provider, not a chat. This rule is only for the first visit. After that, patients can stay in touch with the clinic in other ways.
Right now, a drug called suboxone is approved for treating addiction through telemedicine. So doctors can prescribe it to people with OUD without a clinic visit. It is one of the most effective drugs for OUD. It combines buprenorphine and naloxone.
Suboxone is an interesting medicine that works well because of how it acts. Buprenorphine works on opioid receptors almost the same way as oxycodone. But its effect is much weaker. Naloxone blocks the effects of opioids.
Usually, naloxone is not given with opioid-like medicines because of the risk of severe side effects. But pairing it with buprenorphine seems safe and helpful. The pair eases withdrawal very well. At the same time, it blocks some of the unpleasant effects of long-term opioid use. So it is one of the most effective ways to recover.
Online suboxone prescribing is legal, but not in every state. If you are looking for suboxone treatment, check whether it is legal online in your state. Things are changing fast, and it is becoming legal in more and more states. So it is always smart to check the latest information.
There are some other limits to this kind of treatment. After the first online video visit, doctors will ask you to test for opioid use on a regular basis. They will often mail you a testing kit, and you will need to do the required tests. If not, doctors can stop prescribing suboxone. These are some of the DEA’s strict rules, and everyone must follow them.
It is vital to know one more thing. If online suboxone prescribing is legal in your state, that does not mean any doctor can prescribe it. Buprenorphine is still a controlled substance. So doctors need a special waiver from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
To avoid any painkiller addiction, both patient and doctor must follow a strict dosing plan.
Frequently asked questions
Can telehealth prescribe buprenorphine?
Yes, in many states. Suboxone, which combines buprenorphine and naloxone, can be prescribed through telemedicine for opioid use disorder. The DEA requires the first visit to be a live video interview with a health care provider, not a chat. After that first visit, patients can stay in touch with the clinic in other ways. Online prescribing is not legal in every state, so check the current rules where you live.
Is Suboxone an opioid?
Suboxone contains one. Buprenorphine acts on the same opioid receptors as oxycodone, but its effect is much weaker. Naloxone, the second ingredient, blocks the effects of opioids. Together they ease withdrawal and block some of the unpleasant effects of long-term opioid use. That is why the pair is one of the most effective ways to recover from opioid use disorder.
Why is buprenorphine so hard to get?
There are not enough clinics and specialists. Many clinics are not taking new patients, and waits are long. Buprenorphine is a controlled substance, so not every doctor can prescribe it. Online prescribing is legal only in some states. Many people also stay away from treatment. They fear others will not understand, do not want to travel, or want privacy.
Do you have to take drug tests while on Suboxone?
Yes. After the first video visit, doctors regularly ask patients to test for opioid use, often by mailing a testing kit to the home. If the required tests are not done, the doctor can stop prescribing Suboxone. These are strict DEA rules. A firm dosing plan, followed by both patient and doctor, also guards against a new painkiller addiction.
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