What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Buprenorphine and butorphanol
Buprenorphine's FDA label (Butrans) of May 1, 2026 names butorphanol in its drug interactions section; the butorphanol label PlainMeds reads does not name buprenorphine. The buprenorphine label: “May reduce the analgesic effect of BUTRANS and/or precipitate withdrawal symptoms.”
Check it at the source: the buprenorphine FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 5, 2026); the butorphanol FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 2, 2026, Hospira, Inc.).
What does the buprenorphine label say about butorphanol?
Butrans label (Knoa Pharma LLC, May 1, 2026), drug interactionsClinical Impact: May reduce the analgesic effect of BUTRANS and/or precipitate withdrawal symptoms. Intervention: Avoid concomitant use. Examples: butorphanol, nalbuphine, pentazocine Muscle Relaxants
Source: FDA drug label (Butrans, NDA021306), Knoa Pharma LLC, effective May 1, 2026 (SPL set 794aa355-66de-41b8-aedf-f2c40f6bc664), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Buprenorphine HCl), SpecGx LLC, effective June 5, 2026 (SPL set b60d514d-a88a-4fa2-a5b0-30ac29e04973), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the butorphanol label say about buprenorphine?
Butorphanol's label (effective January 2, 2026) does not name buprenorphine in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Butorphanol Tartrate), Hospira, Inc., effective January 2, 2026 (SPL set 9822ca3f-aee2-46e5-8a96-495400e65d10), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Buprenorphine | Butorphanol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Opioid use disorder, Pain | Pain |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.277 per tablet 2 mg tablet sl | $15.46 per mL 10 mg/mL spray |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once