title: Response to commentaries on 'Which medications are suitable for agonist drug maintenance'.
abstract: As the commentators note, treatment refractory substance use disorders are a clinical reality, and pharmacological intervention is, for many patients, a clinical necessity. Criteria to define what constitutes an appropriate agonist are essential. We are gratified that the commentators found this to be "a helpful first step" in this endeavor.
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Darke
authors.affiliation: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farrell
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Alcohol; benzodiazepines; cannabis; maintenance; nicotine; opioids; psychostimulants