Naltrexone is used to help people who have a narcotic or alcohol addiction stay drug free. Naltrexone is used after the patient has stopped taking drugs or alcohol.

Naltrexone is listed in the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) and is an approved treatment for substance use disorders such as heroin addiction and alcoholism. Since it is listed in the PDR, physicians may use their own judgment in deciding whether to prescribe naltrexone to other individuals, such as those with autism.

Naltrexone is a medication that blocks the effects of drugs known as opioids (a class that includes morphine, heroin or codeine). It competes with these drugs for opioid receptors in the brain. It was originally used to treat dependence on opioid drugs but has recently been approved by the FDA as treatment for alcoholism. In clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of naltrexone, patients who received naltrexone were twice as successful in remaining abstinent and in avoiding relapse as patients who received placebo-an inactive pill.

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