Methadone replacement therapy: tried, tested, effective?
Methadone prescription is a controversial topic. While many believe that it is an effective treatment for opiate dependency, others argue that it is not successful in reducing either the addiction or even injecting behaviour. In this debate, Dr Robertson makes the case that methadone has been well tested, is cheap and acceptable to the patient and results in visible improvement. Dr Daniels argues that methadone treatment is philosophically ill-conceived, ethically dubious, and costly. He also highlights evidence that the treatment is potentially harmful to both patients and those in contact with them.
Muirhouse Medical Group and Clinical Reader, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
J R
JR
Robertson
A M
AM
Daniels
D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000941:ethics; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D055656:Prescriptions; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone