Buprenorphine versus methadone maintenance therapy: a randomized double‐blind trial with 405 opioid‐dependent patients

Abstract

Buprenorphine did not differ from methadone in its ability to suppress heroin use, but retained approximately 10% fewer patients. This poorer retention was due possibly to too-slow induction onto buprenorphine. For the majority of patients, buprenorphine can be administered on alternate days.