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Opioid dependence is a national health crisis that affects some sixmillion Americans from all walks of life, socioeconomic levels, ages andgenders. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute onDrug Abuse (NIDA) define opioid addiction as a long-term brain disease with abehavioral component. It is a treatable medical condition that is caused bychanges in the chemistry of the brain. This dependence can start with use ofmedicine that a doctor prescribes for pain but that a person continues to useafter the medical need for pain relief has passed. Or it may begin asrecreational drug use that spins out of control.
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TurntoHelp.com is an important resource for opioid-dependent individualsand their families, including:
"TurntoHelp.com is a terrific resource that I encourage all my opioid-dependent patients to use," said Michael Schiesser, MD, of Creekside Centerfor Integrative Medicine in Bellevue, WA. "As a physician, I am responsiblefor ensuring that my patients receive the best possible care, and thecustomized information offered to them through this Web site can go a long waytowards helping them remain in long-term recovery. The patient (and family)education offered by this resource is a valuable adjunct to the medicaltreatment I provide."
Among the information presented on TurntoHelp.com, Suboxone(R)(buprenorphine HCl/naloxone HCl dihydrate) C-III Sublingual Tablets isfeatured as a medical treatment. Buprenorphine is the only FDA-approvedcontrolled medicine used to treat opioid dependence that can be prescribed bydoctors in their offices and with take-home prescriptions, under speciallegislation.
"The flexible and customized assistance provided by TurntoHelp.comexemplifies our longstanding commitment to patients, and we are proud tointroduce it during National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month," saidShaun Thaxter, president of Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc., marketersof Suboxone(R). "The site can now help people throughout the entire recoveryprocess, from recognizing the untreated disease to establishing long-termrecovery. Through 'Here to Help,' the Website guides users on entering arecovery plan and finding a doctor certified to treat with buprenorphine, aswell as providing full and accurate information about the disease state,useful outside resources and much more. Additionally, because we recognizethe significant role that family and friends play in substance abuse treatmentand recovery, portions of TurnToHelp.com are specifically designed for them."
About Suboxone(R) Treatment for Opioid Dependence
After opioid-dependent patients are initially inducted onto Suboxone(R),the medicine may be prescribed in an office-based setting by certified doctorswith take-home prescriptions. This treatment modality is attractive to manypatients because of the privacy and convenience that office-based treatmentoffers. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, which allows it to be usedto treat opioid dependence for two critical reasons: first, it acts on thebrain to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms; and second, because it is apartial opioid agonist, it does not excite the same level of opioid-inducedbrain activity as full agonists do, and thus does not p
