Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Int J Drug Policy
An extensive review paper published in Int J Drug Policy (16S(2005) S67-S75 by Michael Farrell and colleagues concludes: "There is evidence that MMT is associated with a significant decrease in injecting drug use and sharing of injecting equipment . . . [T]here is strong evidence that substitution treatment with either methadone or buprenorphine suppresses illicit opioid use. There is also evidence that substitution treatment for HIV-positive IDUs is associated with better compliance with anti-retroviral treatment and improved health outcomes." Those who continue to insist that methadone has been discredited in "the western world" should note that the authors refer to "over half a million people in receipt of methadone maintenance and it is estimated that this number will double in the coming decade."