The following presents legislative and pharmacological arguments for the ability of nurse practitioners to prescribe suboxone for opiate addiction. A description of suboxone and its use for addiction is presented along with a description of the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000(DATA 2000) and a review of desires of nurse practitioners to prescribe this treatment and related arguments. This is followed by a summary and conclusions.
Suboxone, Use for Treatment, and DATA 2000
Addiction is an important issue and public health concern that leads to related problems such as drugged driving, child abuse, violence, and stress. It affects people of all ages and results in deaths for many. Drug addiction is a chronic disease that targets teens and peaks in adolescence and young adulthood. While rates of illicit drug use declined in teens from 2001 to 2004, the problem remains (NIDA, 2008 a-e).
Subutex and Suboxone or approved generic versions of these products are the only Schedule III, IV, or V substances that can be used to treat opoid addiction (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007). In 2002, the FDA approved the buprenorphine monotherapy product, Subutex and the buprenorphine/naloxone combination product, Suboxone for this treatment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009a/b).
Thus, Suboxone includes a buprenorphine and naloxone combination that is used to treat opiod addiction and it produces euphoric effects which makes it easier to stop taking opiods (California Suboxone, 2008; Drugs, 2008; Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2007a). However, there is important information that must be considered when using this medication. Suboxone use can result in drug dependence and can lead to death if overdosed. Caution must be exercised with driving or performing machinery or other like activities since suboxone can result in dizziness, drowsiness, or impaired thinking. The ef...