Sublocade in Tampa: Monthly Buprenorphine Injection Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

Sublocade (buprenorphine extended-release) is a once-monthly injection FDA-approved for the treatment of moderate to severe opioid use disorder. For many patients in Tampa and across Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, it removes the daily medication routine entirely — one injection, administered by a healthcare provider, delivering continuous buprenorphine for a full month.

The barrier is rarely the medication itself. It is the logistics: finding a physician who evaluates and prescribes, finding a site certified to administer the injection, and getting insurance to pay for both. This page explains how Sublocade works, who it fits, what it costs, and how physician-led telemedicine can compress that process into something manageable.

Quick Answers

What is Sublocade?

Sublocade is an extended-release form of buprenorphine given as a subcutaneous injection once a month. It is FDA-approved for moderate to severe opioid use disorder in patients who have started treatment with a single dose of a transmucosal buprenorphine product or who are already being treated with buprenorphine. It is a Schedule III controlled substance and must be prepared and administered by a healthcare provider — it is never dispensed to a patient to inject at home.

Can an online doctor prescribe Sublocade?

Yes. Under DEA and HHS telemedicine flexibilities currently in effect through December 31, 2026, DEA-registered practitioners may prescribe Schedule III controlled medications for opioid use disorder via telemedicine without a prior in-person examination. A separate final rule expanding buprenorphine treatment via telemedicine encounter took effect December 31, 2025. What telemedicine cannot do is administer the injection itself — that requires an in-person visit to a site certified in the Sublocade REMS program.

How long does a Sublocade injection last?

One month. Maintenance injections are given at least 26 days apart. The medication forms a solid depot under the skin that releases buprenorphine continuously, maintaining plasma levels without the daily peaks and troughs of sublingual dosing.

How much does Sublocade cost?

The list price commonly reported for a monthly dose is in the range of roughly $2,000 or more, but very few patients pay that. Sublocade is usually billed as a medical benefit rather than a pharmacy benefit. Florida Medicaid and Medicare typically cover it, and the manufacturer’s copay assistance program reduces out-of-pocket cost to $0 for most commercially insured patients who qualify. Actual cost depends on your plan, the administering site, and eligibility for assistance.

Where can I get Sublocade in Tampa?

Sublocade is only available through a restricted distribution program. Healthcare settings and pharmacies that order and dispense it must be certified in the Sublocade REMS program. Prescribers are not required to be REMS-certified — which means a telemedicine physician can evaluate you, prescribe, and manage your treatment while a certified local site handles administration.

How Sublocade Works

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist with high receptor affinity. It occupies mu-opioid receptors strongly enough to suppress withdrawal and craving while producing a ceiling effect on respiratory depression, which is the principal reason it carries a better safety profile than full agonists.

Sublocade delivers that same molecule through a different route. The injection is administered subcutaneously, where it forms a depot that releases buprenorphine steadily over the dosing interval. The clinical consequence is pharmacokinetic stability: plasma concentrations remain in a therapeutic range continuously rather than rising and falling around each daily dose.

WHAT THAT STABILITY CHANGES CLINICALLY

• Sustained receptor occupancy. Continuous plasma levels above the therapeutic threshold reduce breakthrough craving and blunt the reinforcing effect of illicit opioids.
• Adherence is no longer a daily decision. A missed dose becomes a missed appointment rather than a missed morning — a meaningful difference for patients whose relapses have historically started with a lapse in dosing.
• Diversion risk is structurally eliminated. There is no take-home supply. For patients in monitored settings, probation, or professional monitoring programs, this is frequently the deciding factor.
• No daily reminder of illness. Patients consistently report this as a psychological benefit that is difficult to quantify but repeatedly volunteered.

DOSING

The standard regimen is 300 mg monthly for the first two months, followed by a 100 mg maintenance dose. Patients who experience craving or withdrawal symptoms at the lower maintenance dose may remain on 300 mg monthly. Injections may be given no closer than 26 days apart. Approved injection sites now include the abdomen, thigh, buttock, and back of the upper arm, with rotation between doses.

STARTING TREATMENT: THE RAPID INITIATION PROTOCOL

In February 2025, the FDA approved a label change permitting rapid initiation. Patients not already on buprenorphine can receive their first Sublocade injection after a single dose of transmucosal buprenorphine and a one-hour observation period to confirm tolerability — compressing what was previously a seven-day induction into a single day.

The supporting non-inferiority study enrolled 729 participants, 77.5% of whom were fentanyl-positive at induction. Retention to the second injection was 66.4% in the rapid initiation arm versus 54.5% with standard induction. In a fentanyl-dominant drug supply, shortening time-to-treatment is not a convenience feature; it is the window in which patients are most likely to be lost.

Sublocade vs. Daily Suboxone: an Honest Comparison

Neither formulation is superior in the abstract. They suit different patients, and the same patient may be better served by one at different points in treatment.

	Daily transmucosal buprenorphine (Suboxone)	Sublocade
Dosing	Daily film or tablet, self-administered	One subcutaneous injection monthly
Where administered	At home	REMS-certified healthcare setting only
Blood levels	Peaks and troughs around each dose	Continuous, steady-state
Adherence demand	Requires daily action	Requires one monthly appointment
Diversion potential	Take-home supply exists	None — no medication leaves the clinic
Dose flexibility	Adjustable day to day	Limited; depot cannot be withdrawn once given
If a dose is missed	Withdrawal within roughly 24–48 hours	Long tail; levels decline gradually
Cost structure	Pharmacy benefit; generics available	Medical benefit; brand only, higher list price
Travel and relocation	Portable with a prescription	Requires a certified site wherever you are
Stopping treatment	Taper is straightforward	Buprenorphine persists for months after last dose

Where Sublocade Tends to W

• Patients whose relapse pattern begins with missed doses.
• Patients in unstable housing where storing medication safely is difficult.
• Households with children, where take-home buprenorphine is a real pediatric exposure risk.
• Shift workers, travelers, and anyone whose schedule defeats a fixed daily routine.
• Patients under monitoring where observed dosing would otherwise be required.

Where Daily Buprenorphine Tends to Win

• Patients who want granular dose control or anticipate needing frequent adjustment.
• Patients with needle aversion or injection-site reaction history.
• Patients without reliable transportation to a certified injection site each month.
• Patients planning pregnancy or with complex comorbidity where reversibility matters.
• Patients for whom generic sublingual buprenorphine is dramatically cheaper under their plan.

Sublocade vs. Brixadi

Brixadi (buprenorphine extended-release) was FDA-approved in May 2023 and is the other injectable long-acting buprenorphine available in the United States. Patients researching Sublocade should know it exists, because dosing flexibility differs meaningfully.

	Sublocade	Brixadi
Dosing interval	Monthly only	Weekly or monthly
Weekly doses	Not available	8, 16, 24, 32 mg
Monthly doses	300 mg, 100 mg	64, 96, 128 mg
Injection sites	Abdomen, thigh, buttock, upper arm	Abdomen, thigh, buttock, upper arm
Initiation	Rapid initiation after single TM dose	Weekly form can be started after a 4 mg test dose
REMS	Sublocade REMS program	Brixadi REMS program
Typical advantage	Longest-established data; single monthly visit	Finer dose titration; weekly option for early stabilization

The practical choice usually comes down to formulary coverage, which certified sites near you stock, and whether weekly titration is clinically useful in your case. Both are legitimate options and both are supported by the ASAM National Practice Guideline framework for opioid use disorder pharmacotherapy.

Who is a Good Candidate for Sublocade?

Sublocade is indicated for patients with moderate to severe opioid use disorder who have received at least a single dose of transmucosal buprenorphine or are already stabilized on buprenorphine. Within that indication, certain patients benefit disproportionately:

• Patients already stable on sublingual buprenorphine who want to stop organizing their day around a medication.
• Patients with a documented adherence pattern — repeated gaps, early refill requests, or relapses that trace back to missed doses.
• Working professionals whose schedules make daily dosing and frequent clinic visits genuinely difficult.
• Healthcare workers for whom no take-home controlled substance is often preferable, and for whom monitoring programs may view injectable formulations favorably.
• Parents concerned about medication storage and accidental pediatric exposure.
• Patients with transportation barriers — one monthly trip instead of frequent visits, especially across Pasco County and outlying Hillsborough communities.
• Justice-involved and reentry patients where continuity across custody transitions is fragile and take-home medication is restricted.
• Patients who value privacy — no monthly pharmacy pickup and no medication at home.

Who Should Not Receive Sublocade

• Patients with hypersensitivity to buprenorphine or any component of the formulation.
• Patients who have not received at least a single dose of transmucosal buprenorphine and been assessed for tolerability.
• Patients who cannot reliably return to a certified site for administration.
• Patients where a clinician judges that an irreversible month-long depot is inappropriate given comorbidity, planned surgery, or pregnancy considerations — a discussion that requires individual evaluation.

Risks and Safety Information

Fair discussion of a prescription medication requires stating the risks alongside the benefits.

Boxed warning: Serious harm or death could result if Sublocade is administered intravenously. The formulation forms a solid mass on contact with body fluids and may cause occlusion, local tissue damage, and thromboembolic events including life-threatening pulmonary emboli if injected intravenously. Because of this risk, Sublocade is available only through the restricted Sublocade REMS Program, and it must be prepared and administered by a healthcare provider.

ADDITIONAL WARNINGS FROM THE PRESCRIBING INFORMATION

• Addiction, abuse, and misuse — buprenorphine is a Schedule III controlled substance.
• Life-threatening respiratory depression, particularly with concurrent benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants.
• Risk of serious injection site reactions, which may increase with inadvertent intramuscular or intradermal administration.
• Precipitated withdrawal if administered before adequate opioid clearance.
• Hepatic effects, adrenal insufficiency, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome with use in pregnancy.

Buprenorphine remains detectable in plasma for months after the final injection. Patients should carry documentation of Sublocade treatment for emergency and surgical situations, because acute pain management requires modified planning.

This summary is not complete. Review the full FDA prescribing information with your physician.

How Patients Actually Get Sublocade in Tampa

This is where most patients stall, and the reason is structural rather than clinical.

Sublocade cannot be picked up at a retail pharmacy and self-administered. Under the REMS program, only certified healthcare settings and pharmacies may order and dispense it, and it must be administered by a provider. Prescribers, importantly, do not need to be REMS-certified. A prescriber can write for a specifically named patient and route it to a REMS-certified pharmacy or site that coordinates delivery and administration.

That distinction is what makes a coordinated telemedicine model viable: the physician relationship and the administration site do not have to be the same organization.

The DevotedDOC model

DevotedDOc physicians provide comprehensive telemedicine evaluation and medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. When long-acting injectable buprenorphine is clinically appropriate, your physician can discuss whether Sublocade is the right option, explain the treatment process, and help coordinate referral to a qualified REMS-certified healthcare setting for administration. Ongoing treatment decisions and follow-up care continue with your DevotedDOc physician whenever appropriate.

1. Book a telemedicine appointment. No waiting list, no referral required, no in-person visit to begin.
2. Comprehensive addiction medicine evaluation. Substance use history, prior treatment, comorbidity, medication history, and PDMP review by a physician, not a questionnaire.
3. Medication stabilization. For most patients this begins with transmucosal buprenorphine, prescribed and managed virtually.
4. Determine whether Sublocade is appropriate. A clinical decision made with you, weighing the tradeoffs described above rather than defaulting to the injection.
5. Referral for Sublocade when appropriate. If you and your physician decide Sublocade is the right treatment, we’ll help guide you through the referral process and discuss the next steps for receiving treatment at a qualified REMS-certified healthcare setting.
6. Continue follow-up with DevotedDOC. Your DevotedDOc physician remains involved in your ongoing treatment plan and follow-up care, while injection administration is completed at a qualified healthcare setting when needed. Monitoring, dose decisions, and ongoing care stay with the same clinician.

WHY THIS STRUCTURE MATTERS

• One physician directs treatment rather than care split across two unaffiliated practices.
• Evaluation and stabilization begin immediately instead of waiting for an in-person intake slot.
• The administration visit is a procedure appointment, not a second full intake.
• If Sublocade turns out not to be the right fit, your treatment continues uninterrupted.
• Follow-up stays virtual, which is the difference between monthly continuity and attrition.

Telemedicine Evaluation and Treatment Costs

Physician-led telemedicine visits with DevotedDOC start as low as $74.99. That covers the physician encounter — evaluation, prescribing, and ongoing management.

The cost of the Sublocade injection itself is separate and varies considerably depending on:

• Your insurance plan and whether Sublocade is billed as a medical or pharmacy benefit.
• Manufacturer copay assistance and patient assistance program eligibility.
• The administering healthcare facility’s fee  and facility billing.
• Pharmacy benefit design, prior authorization requirements, and step therapy rules.

For context: Florida Medicaid typically covers Sublocade for opioid use disorder, and Medicare patients often have substantial coverage under Part B or Part D depending on the site of administration. The manufacturer reports that the large majority of patients enrolled in its commercial copay assistance program pay $0 for the medication itself, though office visit and administration charges may still apply. Uninsured patients may qualify for a patient assistance program based on income.

DevotedDOc physicians help patients understand insurance requirements, prior authorization, and available assistance programs as part of the treatment planning process. This may include reviewing which benefit applies, what documentation the insurer may require, and which assistance programs you may qualify for. We cannot promise a specific out-of-pocket cost because it depends on your insurance plan and the administering site, but we can help you understand the factors that may affect your cost before you move forward.

Serving Tampa and the Surrounding Area

DevotedDOc provides telemedicine addiction treatment to patients throughout the Tampa Bay region. Because visits are virtual, patients in South Tampa, Carrollwood, New Tampa, Westchase, Temple Terrace, Brandon, Riverview, and surrounding communities can receive physician-led evaluations and ongoing medication-assisted treatment from home. The same is true for patients across Pinellas County, including St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as patients in Pasco County and other parts of Hillsborough County.

Patients interested in Sublocade should be aware that the medication must be administered in person at a REMS-certified healthcare setting. When long-acting injectable buprenorphine is clinically appropriate, a DevotedDOc physician can discuss the next steps, provide the necessary clinical guidance, and help coordinate a referral to a qualified local provider for administration.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to start Sublocade?

Under the rapid initiation protocol approved by the FDA in February 2025, patients not already on buprenorphine can receive their first injection after a single dose of transmucosal buprenorphine and a one-hour observation period. Previously this required at least seven days of daily buprenorphine first. Actual timing also depends on insurance authorization and scheduling at the administering site.

Does insurance cover Sublocade in Florida?

Most plans provide coverage, though it is commonly billed as a medical benefit rather than a pharmacy benefit and frequently requires prior authorization. Florida Medicaid typically covers Sublocade for opioid use disorder. Coverage details, copay, and prior authorization requirements vary by plan.

What happens if I miss a Sublocade injection?

Buprenorphine levels decline gradually rather than abruptly, so a short delay does not produce immediate withdrawal the way a missed daily dose would. The label directs that a missed maintenance dose be given as soon as possible. Contact your physician rather than waiting for the next scheduled appointment.

Can I stop Sublocade if I do not like it?

You can stop receiving further injections at any time, but the depot already administered cannot be removed, and buprenorphine remains detectable in plasma for months after the last dose. This is the most important tradeoff to understand before starting, and it is why the decision deserves a real conversation rather than a quick yes.

Will Sublocade show up on a drug test?

Buprenorphine will be detectable on testing that screens for it. This is expected and appropriate for a prescribed medication. Patients in monitoring programs, employment testing, or legal supervision should ensure their prescribing physician documents treatment, and should disclose it to the relevant program.

Can DevotedDOC help me get Sublocade in Tampa?

Yes. DevotedDOc physicians evaluate whether Sublocade is clinically appropriate, discuss available treatment options, and help guide patients through the next steps when referral to a qualified REMS-certified healthcare setting is appropriate. Ongoing treatment planning and follow-up may continue through telemedicine when clinically appropriate.

Do I need to be on Suboxone before starting Sublocade?

You need at least a single dose of a transmucosal buprenorphine product before the first injection, per the FDA indication. Patients already stabilized on buprenorphine can transition directly. Patients new to treatment now have the option of the one-day rapid initiation pathway rather than a week of daily dosing.

Is Brixadi an alternative to Sublocade?

Yes. Brixadi is an FDA-approved extended-release buprenorphine injection available in weekly and monthly formulations, offering finer dose titration than Sublocade. Which is preferable depends on your insurance formulary, whether weekly dosing is clinically useful during stabilization, and which certified sites near you carry it.

Schedule a Confidential Telemedicine Evaluation

If you are considering Sublocade — whether you are already stable on buprenorphine and want to stop dosing daily, or you are starting treatment for the first time — the next step is a physician evaluation to determine whether it is the right option for you.

DevotedDOc physicians provide comprehensive addiction medicine evaluations through telemedicine, prescribe and manage treatment when appropriate, and help guide patients through the next steps if long-acting injectable buprenorphine is recommended as part of their care plan. Ongoing follow-up can continue with the same physician when clinically appropriate.

Visits start as low as $74.99. Confidential. No referral required. Same-week appointments available.

References

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. SUBLOCADE (buprenorphine extended-release) injection, for subcutaneous use, CIII — Full Prescribing Information. Reference ID 209819s031lbl. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2025/209819s031lbl.pdf
• Indivior PLC. FDA Approval of Label Changes for SUBLOCADE Including Rapid Initiation Protocol and Alternative Injection Sites. February 24, 2025. https://ir.indivior.com/node/9406/pdf
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. BRIXADI (buprenorphine extended-release) injection — Prescribing Information. Approved May 23, 2023. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/210136Orig1s000lbl.pdf
• American Society of Addiction Medicine. The ASAM National Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: 2020 Focused Update. J Addict Med. 2020;14(2S Suppl 1):1-91. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32511106/
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder. https://library.samhsa.gov/product/tip-63-medications-opioid-use-disorder/pep21-02-01-002
• Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Fourth Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications. Effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/31/2025-24123/fourth-temporary-extension-of-covid-19-telemedicine-flexibilities-for-prescription-of-controlled
• Drug Enforcement Administration and HHS. Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter, 90 FR 6504, 21 CFR 1306.51. Effective December 31, 2025. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/17/2025-01049/expansion-of-buprenorphine-treatment-via-telemedicine-encounter
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder Research Report. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/medications-opioid-use-disorder
• Coe MA, Lofwall MR, Walsh SL. Buprenorphine Pharmacology Review: Update on Transmucosal and Long-acting Formulations. J Addict Med. 2019;13(2):93-103. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7442141/
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain — United States, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/rr/rr7103a1.htm

Medical disclaimer: This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice or a substitute for individualized evaluation by a licensed clinician. Sublocade carries a boxed warning and is available only through a restricted REMS program. Treatment decisions, including whether any medication is appropriate, require assessment by a physician. Regulatory provisions described here — including DEA telemedicine flexibilities — are subject to change.