Patients' views of treatment: methadone vs. buprenorphine

Introduction: Buprenorphine is being used increasingly as an alternative treatment to methadone in the treatment of heroin misuse.

Aim: We sought to obtain patients' views regarding the two medications and test the hypothesis that buprenorphine has a better reputation and is therefore preferred by patients.

Method: Patients receiving treatment in Cornwall, UK were asked to complete a 34‐item questionnaire.

Results: One‐hundred‐and‐thirty‐five questionnaires were returned. Methadone was considered superior in the domain relating to mental health, but buprenorphine was judged as better in other domains. The ease with which buprenorphine is diverted was highlighted. Overall, methadone was preferred, so refuting our hypothesis, but the differences were marginal.

Discussion: Patient preference alone does not justify the increased of cost of buprenorphine. However, for the sake of increasing patient choice it would seem important that it is available.