The Medical letter on drugs and therapeutics
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The FDA has approved the partial opioid agonist buprenorphine in a transdermal formulation (Butrans-Purdue) for treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain. Buprenorphine has been available in the US for years in parenteral formulations for pain and in sublingual tablets for opioid dependence. Transdermal buprenorphine has been available in Europe for several years.