MAT has been underutilized; fewer than 1 million of the 2.5 million Americans with an opioid abuse problem in 2012 utilized MAT.7 Despite this, MAT has shown to be effective in a number of clinical studies. For opioid abuse, specifically, there are many studies that demonstrate its benefits.

MAT has been shown to be a useful and beneficial form of treatment for helping people overcome substance abuse disorders
A report from The New England Journal of Medicine cites a study of heroin overdose deaths in Baltimore between 1995 and 2009, in which an association was made between the increasing availability of methadone and buprenorphine (commonly used MAT drugs) and an approximate 50% decrease in the number of fatal overdoses. The same report showed that MAT often results in an increase in the number of patients who remain in treatment, helps to improve a patient’s social functioning, and reduces the risk of drug-related infectious disease contraction and criminal behaviors.7

The first long-term follow-up evidence for MAT’s effectiveness was published in 2015. Researchers followed participants in the Prescription Opioid Addiction Treatment Study. The study, which was a collaborative effort between the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network and researchers at the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, examined the abstinence rates among people who had participated in MAT. The study found that half of the participants reported being abstinent from drugs for 18 months following MAT therapy, while after 3.5 years, the number rose to 61%, with fewer than 10% meeting the criteria for a diagnosis of drug dependence.8

Additional studies of MATs in high-income countries (such as the US) have backed up these numbers, with numerous studies demonstrating an average 50% rate of retention in MAT treatment.9

What Medications Are Used in Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?

A number of approved medications are used to treat people who participate in MAT programs.

People addicted to opioids receive MAT treatment at certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Some of the MAT medications used to treat opioid addiction and/or withdrawal include:4,10

Methadone. This medication is known as a full opioid agonist, meaning that it fully activates the opioid receptors in your brain to alleviate your cravings and withdrawal symptoms. However, as part of an OPT, methadone is carefully monitored and dispensed to those participating in the program, and the daily dose is incapable of producing the overwhelming high that promotes compulsive use. Methadone is the only MAT drug approved for use in pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Buprenorphine. As a partial opioid agonist, this drug produces opioid effects but not at the same level of intensity as full opioid agonist drugs like heroin or methadone. Buprenorphine also has a “ceiling effect,” so after a certain point, more doses won’t produce any additional side effects. This helps to discourage abuse. Buprenorphine is commonly combined with naloxone in the MAT medication Suboxone.
Naltrexone. This medication works differently than the others. It is an opioid antagonist, so it blocks the opioid effects. If you relapse while taking naltrexone, you won’t feel any of the euphoria or high associated with the abused drug.
People addicted to alcohol also receive medication at MAT programs. Some of the MAT medications used to treat alcohol addiction and withdrawal include:4,11, 14

Older male pouring prescription pills on hand
Naltrexone. As with opioid addiction, this medication is used to block and decrease the pleasurable feelings that occur when you drink.
Acamprosate. This medication helps prevent people who have already stopped drinking from relapsing on alcohol. It will not prevent withdrawal symptoms in people who have only just quit alcohol. You must wait a short period after stopping alcohol use (5-8) days before beginning treatment with acamprosate.
Disulfiram. This medication is used to deter problematic drinking by disrupting the body’s normal alcohol metabolic pathway, thereby creating an uncomfortable physiologic reaction to one of alcohol’s metabolite chemicals—acetaldehyde. When disulfiram is taken regularly as indicated, any drinking will result in a buildup of this chemical.You will experience a whole range of unpleasant side effects including headache, nausea, and vomiting) if you relapse back to alcohol.
Medications that are not FDA-approved for the treatment of alcoholism but that have shown promising results in this area include:

Topiramate and gabapentin. These are anticonvulsant medications that are sometimes used to help people who are addicted to alcohol to reduce their consumption.
Baclofen. This muscle relaxant acts on the GABAB receptors, and some studies have indicated that it can lessen cravings and help people to prevent relapse. This medication may be most useful in those with comorbid alcohol use disorder and anxiety.