Recent advances in the treatment of opiate addiction

Although addiction to heroin and other opiates is a major public health issue in the United States and many other countries, advances in pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment have been made. Some of these advances represent a major shift from traditional treatment philosophies, whereas others are characterized by more subtle, though important, improvements. This review discusses recent advances in opiate-addiction treatment in the context of three main domains: the use of buprenorphine and buprenorphine/ naloxone in an office-based paradigm, psychosocial treatment and the addressing of medical and psychiatric comorbidity, and harm reduction strategies.