Comparison of Methadone to SUBOXONE® Sublingual Film
Methadone tablets and liquid and SUBOXONE® sublingual film are medications used for the treatment of opioid addiction; methadone is also used as an analgesic. Although once available as a tablet, SUBOXONE medication is now only manufactured in film form. Both medications can be used effectively for treating opioid addiction, but there are significant differences between them.
Advantages of Methadone Over SUBOXONE Film
More Effective Pain Medication
In addition to treating addiction, methadone can be used as a treatment for chronic pain. According to its manufacturer, SUBOXONE film should not be used as an analgesic.
More Powerful Against Heavy-Dose Addiction
Because of its greater strength as an analgesic, and its ability to create a euphoric patient response, methadone is a more useful medication for patients with heavy-dose opioid addiction than is SUBOXONE film.
Less Expensive
Methadone, because it is a generic medication, is a more cost-effective method of treatment than SUBOXONE film, which is not produced in generic form.
Greater Relief from Withdrawal Symptoms
Methadone has the advantage of providing greater relief from withdrawal symptoms than SUBOXONE film does.
Advantages of SUBOXONE Film Over Methadone
Less Addictive
SUBOXONE film is only a partial opioid, so it does not cause the euphoric reaction that methadone does, making it far less addictive. And because it comes in a form that cannot be crushed into a powder, SUBOXONE film is less likely to be misused or abused.
Fewer Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms from SUBOXONE film are generally less severe than those from methadone.
Lower Risk of Fatal Overdose
The fact that SUBOXONE film is less addictive than methadone makes it much less prone to abuse. The risk of a patient's taking a fatal overdose of SUBOXONE is much lower than the risk of a patient's overdosing on methadone.
Less Toxic
Because it is less toxic, SUBOXONE film presents less danger than methadone does to patients, such as adolescents, young adults, the elderly and benzodiazepine users, who are at higher risk for toxicity.