he use of medications, such as methadone or buprenorphine, to treat opioid use disorder. These medications help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings and support continued engagement in care. This approach is also called opioid agonist treatment or, in some settings, opioid substitution therapy. “Medication-supported opioid treatment” is preferred here to “opioid replacement therapy,” which can misleadingly suggest that treatment merely replaces one addiction with another.
Terminology note: Medications for opioid use disorder is a broader term that also includes naltrexone, which works differently from methadone and buprenorphine.
Sources: Recovery Research Institute; WHO; SAHMSA