Youth Opioid Recovery Support (YORS)
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) reduce the likelihood of relapse and help to relieve opioid cravings. MOUD is the gold standard of care for youth with opioid addiction. There are different types of MOUD, and youth decide with their doctor which one is best for them. The different types of MOUD are described below.
Common Brand Name: Narcan
Common Brand Name: Suboxone, Zubsolv, & Subutex
Common Brand Name: Sublocade & Brixadi
Common Brand Name: Vivitrol
Naloxone
Narcan®
Naloxone (Narcan®) is an emergency medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. It saves lives by restoring normal breathing to a person who is experiencing an overdose. Naloxone (Narcan®) has no effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system, and it is not a treatment for opioid use disorder (NIDA).
Sublingual
Buprenorphine
Suboxone®, Zubsolv®, Subutex®
Sublingual Buprenorphine is a daily film or tablet that is dissolved under the tongue. Buprenorphine acts as a partial agonist in the brain, which means that it partially activates the opioid receptors and partially blocks them. This helps to prevent cravings and withdrawal symptoms without resulting in a rush or high.
Injectable
Buprenorphine
Sublocade®, Brixadi®
Extended-release buprenorphine is a monthly injectable medication. Instead of taking a daily sublingual dose, like Suboxone, patients receive one larger dose that lasts for 28 days. Buprenorphine acts as a partial agonist in the brain, which means that it partially activates the opioid receptors and partially blocks them. This helps to prevent cravings and withdrawal symptoms without resulting in a rush or high.
Injectable Naltrexone
Vivitrol®
Extended-release naltrexone is a monthly injectable medication that helps to reduce cravings and decreases the chance of overdose if a patient uses opioids. Naltrexone is an antagonist, meaning that it blocks opioid receptors in the brain (i.e. a patient cannot feel the effects of opioids if taken).
Methadone
Methadone is also an FDA-approved medication for opioid use disorder, but it is rarely prescribed to individuals under 18. Unfortunately, Methadone is not available at Maryland Treatment Centers.
MOUD and FDA Approval
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) is the gold standard treatment recommended for youth, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Adolescent Health, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, even for those under 18. The FDA has approved sublingual buprenorphine for individuals ages 16+. The other MOUD described here are prescribed "off label" for pediatric patients.