The New England Journal of Medicine published a study comparing methadone with LAAM [levomethadyl acetate] and buprenorphine. According to the report, "Most of the development and evaluation research on buprenorphine has been based on daily doses. Our study used thrice-weekly doses and found that outcomes were approximately equivalent to those with either daily methadone or thrice-weekly levomethadyl acetate. Thus, thrice-weekly buprenorphine may also offer greater convenience to patients and clinic staff."

Source

Johnson, Rolley E., Pharm. D., Mary Ann Chutuape, PhD, Eric C. Strain, MD, Sharon L. Walsh, PhD, Maxine L. Stitzer, PhD, and George E. Bigelow, PhD, "A Comparison of Levomethadyl Acetate, Buprenorphine, and Methadone for Opioid Dependence," New England Journal of Medicine (Boston, MA: Massachusetts Medical Society, Nov. 2, 2000), Vol. 343, No. 18, p. 1296.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/r…