Case 2: Heroin Use and HIV

You answered:

	The use of buprenorphine in the out-patient setting is limited by its very short half-life and the required four times a day administration.

This answer is incorrect. Buprenorphine has a long half and is usually taken once daily.

	In the United States, any physician can administer methadone maintenance to an HIV-infected patient after completing a three-hour training course regarding appropriate use of methadone for treatment of heroin addiction.
	For a chronic heroin user, medical detoxification with methadone is more likely than methadone maintenance therapy to successfully reduce long-term heroin use.
	In the United States, buprenorphine may now be provided legally through outpatient medical clinics, but physicians who intend to prescribe buprenorphine are required to undergo special training and receive a waiver from the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.