Is buprenorphine approved by the FDA for pain management?

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Buprenorphine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US for pain specifically, but it is used frequently off-label for this indication. It is used in many other countries as a pain medication as well. In fact, the majority of all medications that are prescribed in the US are used for off-label indications, those which are not approved by the FDA.

In 2002, the FDA approved Suboxone for Opioid Use Disorder.

Elena Hill, MD, MPH

Elena Hill, MD; MPH received her MD and Masters of Public Health degrees at Tufts Medical School and completed her family medicine residency at Boston Medical Center. She is currently an attending physician at Bronxcare Health Systems in the Bronx, NY where she works as a primary care physician as well as part time in pain management and integrated health. Her clinical interests include underserved health care, chronic pain and integrated/alternative health.

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