A recent The Daily Beast article asks the question: Can an implant stop heroin addiction?

Heroin Addiction Implant

The short answer is that, no, an implant cannot stop heroin addiction. The buprenorphine implant the article cites is only used once someone has already developed an opioid addiction.

Therefore, the implant isn’t preventing heroin addiction, it’s only treating it.

Other Implant Uses

However, the buprenorphine implant may make treating opioid addiction more successful. It may make it easier for those who could benefit from buprenorphine treatment to receive it, and it might improve compliance and utilization. This would be a good thing.