Implant offers treatment option for recovering opioid addicts

Opioid addiction is a problem affecting every section of American society right now. What starts as a dependence on painkillers can transition to heroin use, and all too frequently leads to deadly overdoses. But now there is a treatment option that promises to help addicts quit without taking daily medication. The treatment is based on a medication called buprenorphine, or "Suboxone."  As patients are recovering, doctors can give them a special implant that slowly releases buprenorphine for six months at a time.  Patients say the automatic release is important, because they don't have to remember to take medication every day.

The implants cost nearly $5,000 at a time, but there is an assistance program available, and some insurance companies may offer coverage.  You can find more information about a treatment facility using the implants here.