The American Society of Addiction Medicine and Clinical Tools, Inc., recently launched a new Internet-based physician-training program for office-based treatment of opioid dependence using buprenorphine.  The new Buprenorphine Training Program is available online at www.BuprenorphineCME.com. 

The Buprenorphine Training Program fulfills the physician-training requirements of the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000).  According to DATA 2000 requirements, physicians must complete 8 hours of education, such as this program provides, if they wish to become eligible to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid dependence.  Upon the successful completion of the training, and once they have met other requirements, physicians can submit a "notification of intent" to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to become eligible to prescribe buprenorphine.

The ASAM-Clinical Tools Buprenorphine Training Program is available on the Internet twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week and can be completed at the convenience of the learner.  The program is browser based, meaning that no special software is needed.  Physicians can complete the program all at once or over multiple sessions. The cost to complete the training program is $150. Physicians who complete the training program can also earn 8 hours of continuing medical education credit (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™).

The Food and Drug Administration approved buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence in October 2002; there are two sublingual formulations available at this time. Since 2002, more than 7,000 qualifying physicians have become eligible to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid dependence. More physicians, however, are needed to complete the 8-hour training so that treatment is available to more opioid-dependent patients. Opioid addicts who remain untreated or undertreated suffer from such health complications as hepatitis, HIV, abscesses, and opioid overdose.