Until recently, heroin addiction has primarily been treated with methadone given on a daily outpatient basis. In May 2001, new U.S. methadone rules allowed clinics to give take-home methadone doses of up to one month, but not all states allowed the practice.

A study led by Dr. Van L. King of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., suggests that "well-rehabilitated" patients can handle most of their care at home. For the study, King and colleagues compared monthly take-home methadone treatment to standard therapy received by 78 patients at two Baltimore clinics. All had been on methadone without heroin relapses for at least a year, and had full-time jobs.

Study participants were separated into three groups: one that continued going to a clinic once or twice a week to receive their medication; one that received a 28-day supply of methadone from the clinic; and one that received a 28-day supply from a doctor's office.

Throughout the study, patients provided urine samples to monitor their drug use and received monthly counseling sessions.

After six months, the researchers found no differences in methadone compliance among the three groups. According to the researchers, patients who received 28-day take-home doses "continued to do extremely well in treatment despite a dramatic reduction in the intensity of their care."

The study's findings are published in the January issue of the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Brett Schafer II on 31 Dec 09 04:26 PM EST

This study is good to here. The majority of patients in these programs long enough to get to the point where they can have 28 take home doses take this help very seriously. They will not mess it up. They take methadone to curb their disease just like a diabetic or somebody with high blood pressure.

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