Sublocade vs. Suboxone

Sublocade (buprenorphine) and Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) are brand-name prescription medications. They’re approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). With this condition, you feel unable to stop taking opioids even though they may be causing harm.

This article explains what’s mainly the same and different between Sublocade and Suboxone. If you’re considering taking either medication, review this information with your doctor. They can help determine whether Sublocade or Suboxone may be better than the other for you.

Note: For more comprehensive information about these two drugs, you can refer to our Sublocade and Suboxone articles.

Key differences between Sublocade and Suboxone

These are a few of the main differences between Sublocade and Suboxone:

• Active ingredients: Sublocade and Suboxone both contain buprenorphine as an active ingredient. Suboxone also contains another active ingredient called naloxone. (See “Generics: Sublocade and Suboxone” below.)
• Dosage: Sublocade is taken less often than Suboxone. (See “Dosage, forms, and administration” below.)
• Forms: Sublocade is given as subcutaneous injections. Suboxone comes as oral films that dissolve in your mouth. (See “Dosage, forms, and administration” below.)

Below are answers to some common questions about Sublocade and Suboxone.

How do Sublocade and Suboxone compare with Subutex?

Sublocade and Suboxone are medications approved to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Subutex is a medication that was once available to treat OUD, but it’s been discontinued. Below are a few other ways Sublocade and Suboxone compare with Subutex.

Sublocade contains buprenorphine as its active ingredient. The drug comes as a liquid solution and is given as a subcutaneous injection. It’s not available in a generic form.

Suboxone contains buprenorphine and naloxone as its active ingredients. The drug comes as an oral film that dissolves under your tongue or between your gums and cheek. Suboxone is available as a generic medication called buprenorphine/naloxone.

Subutex was a brand-name drug that contained buprenorphine as its active ingredient. It came as a tablet that dissolved under your tongue. However, Subutex is no longer available. Its active drug is available as a generic medication called buprenorphine. This generic version comes as a tablet that dissolves under your tongue.

To learn more about Sublocade, Suboxone, and Subutex, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can I take Sublocade and Suboxone at the same time?

No, it’s not likely. Your doctor probably won’t prescribe these medications for you at the same time. This is because Sublocade and Suboxone both contain buprenorphine as an active ingredient. Treatment with both drugs at the same time could increase your risk of side effects.*

However, you may be able to switch from one medication to the other. (See “Switching between Sublocade and Suboxone” below.) To learn more about this, talk with your doctor.

* For information about side effects of the two drugs, see our articles about Sublocade and Suboxone.

Here’s information about the generic status for Sublocade and Suboxone, as well their active ingredients.

The generic version of Suboxone is called buprenorphine/naloxone.

Sublocade and Suboxone have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in adults. With this condition, you feel unable to stop taking opioids even though they may be causing harm.

Both Sublocade and Suboxone are prescribed in combination with counseling and other mental health support.

Note: For more information about the drugs’ uses, see our articles about Sublocade and Suboxone.

Here’s a quick look at the dosage and administration of Sublocade and Suboxone for the conditions both drugs treat.

Dosage for opioid use disorder

Below are the dosages of Sublocade and Suboxone for opioid use disorder (OUD). Milligrams and milliliters are abbreviated as “mg” and “mL.”

You’ll receive Sublocade injections from a healthcare professional in a doctor’s office or clinic. You won’t give yourself injections of Sublocade.

Your first few doses of Suboxone may be given in a doctor’s office or clinic. In this situation, your doctor will decide when you can continue Suboxone treatment at home. If you have questions about whether you’ll take Suboxone at home, talk with your doctor.

Note: For more information about dosage, see our articles about Sublocade and Suboxone.

Both Sublocade and Suboxone are approved to treat opioid use disorder. These drugs can cause some of the same side effects, as well as some different ones. Some of the side effects reported in clinical trials of these drugs are mentioned below.

To learn more about side effects of the two drugs, see our Sublocade and Suboxone articles. You can also refer to the Sublocade prescribing information and Suboxone prescribing information. This information contains details about the drugs’ clinical trials.

Mild side effects

The following table lists some of the more commonly reported mild side effects of Sublocade and Suboxone. The table may also include less common mild side effects that you might have concerns about in some cases.

These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. If the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* An allergic reaction is possible after taking Sublocade or Suboxone, but it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in clinical trials.

Serious side effects

The following table lists the reported serious side effects of Sublocade and Suboxone.

If you have serious side effects with Sublocade or Suboxone, call your doctor immediately. If the side effects feel life threatening or you believe you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right away.

* Sublocade has a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To learn more, see “Warnings of Sublocade and Suboxone” below.
† An allergic reaction is possible after taking Sublocade or Suboxone, but it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in clinical trials.

Keep reading to learn more about the effectiveness of Sublocade and Suboxone.

Prescribing information. For information about how these drugs performed in clinical trials, see the prescribing information for Sublocade and Suboxone. Keep in mind that trial results may not apply to your individual health situation.

Treatment guidelines. Another way to see whether a drug is considered effective is to look at treatment guidelines. When an organization includes certain drugs in treatment guidelines, this means that research has shown the drug to be safe and effective.

Guidelines from the American Society of Addiction Medicine recommend buprenorphine as a treatment option for people with opioid use disorder. This recommendation includes both Sublocade and Suboxone, which contain buprenorphine as an active ingredient.

How much Sublocade and Suboxone cost depends on the treatment plan your doctor prescribes and your insurance plan. The cost of Sublocade will also depend on the cost of the visit to a healthcare professional to receive doses of the drug. In addition, the cost of Suboxone will depend on your pharmacy.

Both Sublocade and Suboxone are brand-name drugs. Sublocade does not come in generic form, while Suboxone does. Brand-name medications are often more expensive than generics. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to learn about the generic form of Suboxone, which is called buprenorphine/naloxone.

You can also refer to this article for information about Suboxone and Medicare.

Sublocade and Suboxone may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. The two drugs share some of the same precautions, but they also have different ones. Some of these precautions are mentioned below.

Boxed warning: Risk of serious harm or death if injected into a vein

Sublocade has a boxed warning for the risk of serious harm or death if injected into a vein. A boxed warning is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

Sublocade is given as a subcutaneous injection by a healthcare professional. It’s not given as an IV injection, which is an injection into a vein.

Sublocade forms a solid mass after it’s injected. If given as an IV injection, the drug could block the blood flow through your veins. Reduced blood flow could lead to serious conditions such as blood clots and damage to the tissue around the injection site. These conditions may, in some cases, be fatal. Your doctor can tell you more.

Due to this risk, Sublocade is available only through the Sublocade risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) program. This REMS program helps ensure that Sublocade is prescribed and injected safely.

You’ll receive Sublocade injections in a doctor’s office or clinic. The location where you receive the injection must be certified through the REMS program.

Where to find more information

To learn more about this risk and the Sublocade REMS program, talk with your doctor. You can also call 866-258-3905 or visit the Sublocade REMS website.

Precautions

In addition to boxed warnings, Sublocade and Suboxone have other warnings.

If any of the following medical conditions or other health factors are relevant to you, talk with your doctor before taking Sublocade or Suboxone.

* Taking Sublocade or Suboxone while pregnant can lead to neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome in newborns. To learn more about this condition, see the pregnancy sections in these articles about Sublocade and Suboxone.

Note: For more comprehensive information about these two drugs, you can refer to our Sublocade and Suboxone articles.

Switching between Sublocade and Suboxone is possible.

If you’d like to know more about switching between Sublocade and Suboxone, talk with your doctor. They can give you additional details and help determine the best course of action for your personal situation.

Even if two drugs treat the same condition or are in the same drug class, your body can still respond differently. It’s important that you do not stop, start, or switch any of your drug treatments without your doctor’s recommendation.

Some key points to remember when comparing Sublocade and Suboxone include:

• Both Sublocade and Suboxone contain an active ingredient called buprenorphine. In addition, Suboxone contains naloxone as an active ingredient.
• Sublocade is given monthly as a subcutaneous injection. Suboxone comes as an oral film and is taken daily.

If you’d like to learn more about Sublocade or Suboxone, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help answer any questions you have about similarities and differences between the drugs. They can also help determine whether one drug or the other might work well for you.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.