Buprenorphine is a drug being used in a new office-based treatment for addiction to prescription pain relievers and other opiate drugs, including heroin. While the drug is intended to aid in addiction treatment, buprenorphine is potent (20 to 50 times the analgesic potency of morphine), has a long duration of action, and does not need to be injected, therefore the potential for abuse is high.

Buprenorphine or subutex, which is its trade name, is one of a number of synthetic opiates that are manufactured for medical use and have similar effects to heroin and morphine. Buprenorphine is mainly used today as a substitute for heroin, in an attempt to relieve some of the problems associated with heroin addiction. Buprenorphine is different from Methadone and Heroin because it does not have such a strong effect on the brain.