Program to Improve Opioid Dependance Treatment

Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals has launched Here to Help, an unique patient support program designed to improve outcomes for people in opioid dependence treatment with SUBOXONE (buprenorphine HCl/naloxone HCl dihydrate [2 mg/0.5 mg and 8 mg/2 mg]) C-III Sublingual Tablets. By focusing on coaching and education of patients and caregivers, Here to Help is designed to assist patients in overcoming the barriers that often prevent them from being successful in treatment for prescription opioid painkiller or heroin dependence.

Although approximately 1.7 million people in the United States are affected by opioid dependence, it is a treatable brain disease that is largely unrecognized and often undertreated. The only FDA-approved controlled medicines that can be prescribed to treat opioid dependence in a doctor’s private office are SUBOXONE and SUBUTEX (buprenorphine HCl [2 mg and 8 mg]) C-III Sublingual Tablets.

The Here to Help Program, supports patients in three main ways:

Providing personal assistance from a Care Coordinator in finding a physician who is able to treat the patient with SUBOXONE. Here to Help will also facilitate patients’ gaining access to other critical professional services, such as psychosocial support, across the entire continuum of care.
Offering Care Coaches to provide personal support to patients through a series of outbound phone calls over the critical first 12 weeks of treatment; providing motivation, education, and assistance.
Presenting online tools and resources at www.HereToHelpProgram.com, which provide 24/7 support via email and the Web. These resources include an email support program, links to online and offline support groups, downloadable patient resources and tools, and much more.

“Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals is very proud to offer Here to Help to support opioid dependent patients and their families,” said Shaun Thaxter, President of Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc. “The Here to Help Program was created specifically to support patients, reflecting our Company’s commitment to helping individuals who are dependent on opioids be successful in treatment and long-term recovery. Personal Care Coach support combined with online tools and resources will offer powerful assistance to individuals and their families at a time when they can truly benefit from such help. ”

If you or someone you know is dependent on prescription painkillers or heroin, please call 1-866-973-HERE (4373) or visit www.HereToHelpProgram.com for more information on how to find treatment and enroll in the Here to Help Program.

Opioid Dependence and Resources for Its Treatment

Addiction to opioids is defined as a long-term brain disease by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). It is a treatable medical condition that is caused by changes in the chemistry of the brain. This dependence can start with use of medicine that a doctor prescribes for serious pain but that the patient continues to use after the medical need for pain relief has passed. Or it may begin as recreational drug use with illicit opioids that spins out of control.

Individuals who need more information about opioid dependence and its treatment, either for themselves or for someone they are concerned about, have several options. In addition to the new www.HereToHelpProgram.com website, other educational materials on opioid dependence are available online at www.turntohelp.com, also provided by Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals.

About SUBOXONE Treatment for Opioid Dependence

SUBOXONE (buprenorphine HCl/naloxone HCl dihydrate) C-III Sublingual Tablets and SUBUTEX (buprenorphine HCl) C-III Sublingual Tablets are the only FDA-approved controlled medicines that can be prescribed by doctors in their offices, under special legislation. Any qualified doctor, including family doctors, may take the training to become certified to prescribe SUBOXONE and SUBUTEX. Treatment with buprenorphine is attractive to many patients because of the privacy and convenience that office-based treatment offers.

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, which allows it to be used to treat opioid dependence for two critical reasons. First, it acts on the brain in a way similar to full opioid agonists (e.g., prescription opioid painkillers, heroin or methadone) to retain patients in treatment and reduce opioid use by largely or entirely prevent cravings and withdrawal. Second, because it is a partial opioid agonist, it does not stimulate the same level of opioid-induced brain activity as full agonists do, and thus does not produce the maximal euphoric effect of a full opioid agonist. Undistracted by the physical aspects of the disease, patients typically are able to focus on other aspects of their lives and, with appropriate psychosocial support, begin taking whatever steps are needed to rebuild their lives. SUBOXONE in conjunction with psychosocial support can improve treatment outcomes for opioid dependent patients.

source: http://www.counselormagazine.com

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