Opioid replacement therapy (
ORT) (also called
opioid substitution therapy (
OST) or
opioid maintenance therapy) is a
medical treatment that involves replacing an illegal
opioid, such as
heroin, with a longer acting but less euphoric opioid;
methadone or
buprenorphine are typically used and the drug is taken under medical supervision. Some formulations of buprenorphine incorporate the opiate antagonist
naloxone during the production of the
pill form to prevent people from crushing the tablets and injecting them, instead of using the
sublingual (under the tongue) route of administration.