The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7400 p559
13 May 2006

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Buprenorphine better than clonidine in opioid withdrawal

Buprenorphine is more effective than clonidine for the management of opioid withdrawal, according to a review published online in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (19 April 2006).

The review of 18 trials involving 1,356 participants found that those treated with buprenorphine were more likely to stay in treatment for longer, and to complete treatment (relative risk 1.73, 95 per cent confidence interval 1.21–2.47; P=0.003), than those treated with clonidine. A technology appraisal on methadone and buprenorphine for the treatment of opiate drug misuse is due to be published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in March 2007.