The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Randomized Controlled Trial Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Comparison of methadone and buprenorphine for opiate detoxification (LEEDS trial): a randomised controlled trial.
Many opiate users require prescribed medication to help them achieve abstinence, commonly taking the form of a detoxification regime. In UK prisons, drug users are nearly universally treated for their opiate use by primary care clinicians, and once released access GP services where 40% of practices now treat drug users. There is a paucity of evidence evaluating methadone and buprenorphine (the two most commonly prescribed agents in the UK) for opiate detoxification. ⋯ There is equal clinical effectiveness between methadone and buprenorphine in achieving abstinence from opiates at 8 days post detoxification within prison.