title: Pharmacotherapy of Opioid Addiction: "Putting a Real Face on a False Demon".
abstract: Methadone maintenance therapy (MMT), a pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorder for the past 50 years, continues to remain controversial. Despite consistent and overwhelming evidence confirming the effectiveness and safety of MMT, misconceptions and myths persist regarding its legitimacy as a treatment for opioid addiction. This often results in the underutilization and limited availability of this treatment modality. Despite successful outcomes, the controversial nature of MMT, and the stigma experienced by the patients on methadone, has been a particularly difficult obstacle to overcome. We present the history of MMT, review the evidence for its efficacy in the treatment of opioid dependence, and explore the origins of the stigma and misconceptions related to MMT.
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY, USA. Esalsitz@chp.net.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salsitz
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA. timothy_wiegand@urmc.rochester.edu.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wiegand
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008691:Methadone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011287:Prejudice; D012307:Risk Factors; D057545:Social Stigma; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone
keywords: Addiction; Drug dependence; Medication assisted treatment; Methadone; Opioid addiction