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Latest blog posts from Opiate Addiction

BARRIERS TO LONG-TERM TREATMENT (US):
Cesar Fax (Oct 6 08) reported that the number one reason (cited by 39% of those surveyed) why those who needed - and believed they needed! - treatment didn't get it was that they were "not ready to stop using." Particularly with dependence on illicit opiates, this would seem to be a compelling... Read more...
Published 5 hours ago

WHERE DOES MCCAIN STAND ON METHADONE MAINTENANCE?
Although rigidly apolitical, we feel it's important to ensure that readers know the position of the presidential candidates re. methadone maintenance. OBAMA: can't swear to it, but I don't believe he has ever voiced an opinion. Take that for what it may be worth. MCCAIN: in May 1999 on the... Read more...
Published a day ago

QA: Methadone Patient Recently Diagnosed With Cancer Asks if Methadone Can Be Used to Treat Pain
This question was submitted to our website and we thought it might be helpful for a larger audience span style="font-style:italic;"(all names and personal references have been removed to protect confidentiality)/span:br /br /span style="font-weight:bold;"Q: I was taking methadone when I was... Read more...
Published 3 days ago

ATTACKING THE METHADONE LOBBY-SAME OLD STORY:
TimesOnline (UK) had a column Oct 3 attacking “the methadone lobby [that] has built a pharmaceutical holding pen that keeps addicts addicted” (a... Read more...
Published 4 days ago

METHADONE MISUSE/ABUSE - A NEW PATTERN IN USA?
From the Upper Peninsula, Michigan, comes a report of an increase in heroin dependence. Police officials there are quoted as saying the dependence in many instances is initiated by misuse - including by injection - of methadone prescribed for pain: "... doctors are prescribing methadone ... and... Read more...
Published 2 weeks ago

POSSIBLE IMPACT OF METHADONE ON QT-WAVE PROLONGATION:
From our colleague, span style="font-style:italic;"Andrew Byrne, MD in Australia/span, the following observations regarding QT-wave prolongation:br /br /QTC Interval Prolongation and Opioid Addiction Therapy. Baker WA, Krantz MJ. Archives Internal Medicine (letter) 2008 168;14:1502br /br /Dear... Read more...
Published 4 weeks ago

METHADONE IS A MEDICATION, SO 'USER' IS THE WRONG WORD:
Below is a LTE that was published in the Vancouver Sun, I wanted to share: br /br /Re: Methadone users 'get pharmacy kickbacks,' Sept. 9 br /br /No one could fail to condemn people who are alleged to accept bribes such as this -- or, especially, those who offer them. br /br /But The Sun's... Read more...
Published 4 weeks ago

PLACEBOS ONLY JUSTIFIED IN STUDIES WHEN NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE:
A brilliant article just appeared in the British Medical Journal documenting the total absence of "placebo-controlled random assignment clinical trials" that "prove" that it really is the parachute that protects against injury and death when people jump out of airplanes. Those experts and... Read more...
Published 4 weeks ago

IN RESPONSE TO THE NY TIMES "METHADONE RISES AS A PAINKILLER WITH BIG RISKS" (Aug 17):
Here are two non-published LTEs in response to the NY Times Article on August 17th:br /br /Erik Eckholm’s article about the increasing use and related risk of prescribing methadone for pain management was a carefully researched, balanced piece. Physicians need to be trained in the proper use of... Read more...
Published 2 months ago

ONE IN FAVOR OF CLINIC, ONE AGAINST...
On August 23rd, two news media references to methadone clinics appeared. One was in the Courier Post (New Jersey), headlined "Methadone clinic target of new suit." It detailed latest efforts to bar the establishment of a methadone clinic. According to one resident in the area, "It is a complete... Read more...
Published 2 months ago

AN UNUSUAL AND THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE ABOUT A NEW METHADONE CLINIC
An unusual and thoughtful editorial supporting the locating of a methadone clinic in a town shopping center appeared in The Standard Speaker of Hazleton, PA . Editorials nearly universally take the position, "We understand the need for this type of clinic, but it doesn't belong here." This... Read more...
Published 2 months ago

PUBLISH . . . AND LET PERISH? (USA)
On Aug 3 the NY Times reported that CDC has known for some 10 months that it had been grossly underestimating - by some 40% - the number of HIV-positive cases in US. It kept the information from the public until it could be published in a peer reviewed journal. Meanwhile, it seems the... Read more...
Published 2 months ago