The number of patients receiving buprenorphine reached 1,172 at the end of September, according to figures obtained from the HSE. This marks an increase from 748 in April 2023.
A HSE spokesperson said Suboxone is a trade name for buprenorphine, and other buprenorphine preparations are also available.
“The figures include all preparations of buprenorphine,” the spokesperson said.
Regulations introduced in November 2017 allowed access to certain buprenorphine-based medicinal products within the opioid substitution treatment (OST) system on the same statutory basis as methadone.
The spokesperson added that, nationally, 43 Level 1 GPs and 39 Level 2 GPs currently prescribe buprenorphine. Level 1 GPs can treat stabilised opioid- dependent patients in their own practice, while Level 2 GPs can provide comprehensive assessment and initiate treatment where appropriate, stabilise and maintain treatment, and/or detoxify opioid-dependent patients.
At the end of September, 9,548 patients were receiving methadone, and 411 community pharmacies were dispensing buprenorphine.
“There would be overlap between the community pharmacies that dispense methadone and those that dispense buprenorphine, such as a community pharmacy does not dispense one or the other,” said the spokesperson.
“Overall, the most recent estimate of community pharmacies involved in dispensing opioid agonist treatment (methadone and buprenorphine) is 834.”
Recently, the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor announced an additional €11 million in recurring funding for drugs and inclusion health services in Budget 2026.
This figure included expanding access to buprenorphine, enabling treatment of an additional 200 people with opioid dependence, according to the Department of Health.
