Buprenorphine as new treatment for heroin dependence.

Dr. Jasinski suggested years ago that on the basis of some preliminary findings buprenorphine could hold promise for the treatment of heroin dependence (D. Jasinski, J.S. Pevnick and J.D. Griffith, Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 35 (1978) 501)). No significant report has been published to confirm that assumption, and no treatment program seems to have started on that ground. Buprenorphine is now available in several countries including Belgium. We tried to devise a treatment program for heroin addicts combining chemotherapy with sublingual buprenorphine and psychotherapy. The interim results of this treatment program--initiated in 65 heroin addicts and undertaken by 34 of them for periods varying from 2 to 17 months--seem sufficiently promising to pursue our research.