Drug Comparison
For educational purposes only — a decision-support tool, not a substitute for clinical judgment.
Side-by-side rubric across 96 psychiatric medications. Every rating traces to a verbatim primary-source quote — click any cell to see it.
How to read this tool ▾
Rating scale
– Favorable / lower than class baseline
± Minimal / equivocal
+ Low / uncommon
++ Moderate / common
+++ High / very common
++++ Very high / class-outlier
Frequency vs severity
F = frequency, S = severity. Each gets its own pill colored on the same traffic-light scale: green → blue → yellow → orange → red. Click any cell for incidence percentages and NNH.
Evidence tier
A Network meta-analysis / RCT / FDA label
B Cohort / registry / pooled label data
C Expert review / textbook / case series
Sourcing
Click any cell to see the verbatim source quote and citation. Missing data shows n/a.
Data depth
++ Graded — frequency + severity, primary-source traces
+ FDA label — §6 frequency only (dashed border). Click for sub-types.
Blank — not yet checked (not “absent”)
–±++++++++++ABCF = frequency · S = severity · Dashed border = FDA label only · Click cell for details
1 drug selected — Buprenorphine(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Buprenorphine
Subutex · Suboxone
Partial Opioid Agonist · C-III
FDA-approved indications
- Opioid use disorder — sublingual; preferred for induction (adults)
Off-label uses
- Chronic pain
- Treatment-resistant depression (investigational)
- Neonatal abstinence syndrome prevention
Half-life31 to 35 hours
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Buprenorphine
Consider when
- Opioid use disorder — FDA-approved MOUD; office-based prescribing (X-waiver eliminated); does not require OTP enrollment
- Partial agonist safety ceiling — mu-opioid partial agonist with ceiling on respiratory depression; safer in overdose than methadone
- Outpatient flexibility — home dosing from initiation; take-home prescriptions; compatible with employment and normal routine
- Chronic pain with OUD — analgesic at lower doses; buccal film (Belbuca) FDA-approved for chronic pain; dual benefit
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- High-tolerance OUD requiring maximum blockade — partial agonist may be insufficient for patients on very high opioid doses; methadone may provide better retention
- Precipitated withdrawal risk — must wait for mild withdrawal before induction; premature dosing causes severe precipitated withdrawal
- Severe hepatic impairment — dose adjustment required; naloxone component in combination products may cause issues in liver disease
- Diversion concern — sublingual/buccal formulations can be diverted; sublocade (monthly SQ) or injectable alternatives reduce risk
- +1 more
| Axis | Buprenorphine partial-opioid-agonist |
|---|---|
| Boxed Warnings | |
Abuse / addiction liability | |
Respiratory depression (opioid / CNS depressant co-use) | |
| CNS | |
Activation / insomnia | |
Headache | |
| Autonomic | |
Sweating | |
| GI | |
Nausea / GI (general) | |
Constipation / GI hypomotility | |
| Hepatic | |
Liver enzymes / hepatotoxicity | |
| Discontinuation | |
Withdrawal / discontinuation | |