Interim methadone clinic established

Individuals with serious opioid dependence in the Eastern Region will have access to methadone maintenance treatment beginning today as an interim service becomes operational, Health and Community Services Minister John Ottenheimer and Eastern Health Chief Operating Officer Beverley Clarke announced today.

"This interim methadone maintenance service furthers our commitment to address prescription drug abuse and will increase treatment options for those who need it," said Minister Ottenheimer. "We have worked swiftly and diligently to assist those who would benefit from methadone treatment in an effort to aid in their recovery and improve their quality of life."

Eastern Health will establish the interim clinic at the Recovery Centre in Pleasantville. The clinic will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment only. Individuals seeking methadone treatment will be screened for suitability.

"Our priority is to ensure that individuals receive comprehensive medical services and clinical support in addition to the methadone," said Ms. Clarke. "This requires a multidisciplinary team of health professionals to provide the best possible care."

The interim service will be supported by an experienced addictions counsellor, Paula Pittman, BSW and two physicians, Dr. Jeff White and Dr. Syed Risvi. Both doctors have agreed to prescribe methadone in a clinic setting and have been granted a special license to prescribe methadone. Dr. Risvi has worked in methadone clinics in the United States and Dr. White has completed training at the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health in Ontario. Trainers from the Ontario facility will be travelling to St. John�s next month to provide this training to the entire team.

A methadone maintenance treatment program was a recommendation of the OxyContin Task Force. The 2005 provincial budget allocated an additional $1 million to address many of the recommendations of the OxyContin Task Force�s Final Report. An additional $740,000 was committed toward one-time renovation costs at the Recovery Centre in Pleasantville and at Humberwood Addiction Centre in Corner Brook.

It is anticipated that the full methadone maintenance program will be available this fall.

Media contact:
Carolyn Chaplin, Department of Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377, 682-5093
Martha Muzychka, ABC, Eastern Health, (709) 752-4136

Backgrounder

Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Addictions Services has been working with a community advisory committee to develop and a Methadone Maintenance Program for the St. John's area. This will be a comprehensive service with a multidisciplinary team, including a physician, nurse, counsellor and a pharmacist. This will ensure that we provide clients with a complete service; individuals will be able to see a physician, complete the drug screening, take their methadone and meet with a counsellor all at the same site. Renovations to the Recovery Centre in Pleasantville are required to accommodate this service.

We anticipate that this full program will be ready later in the fall.

However, in an effort to meet existing demands, staff will provide an interim service through the Recovery Centre. This limited service will have an addictions counsellor and a physician working together to respond best to the needs of those with an opioid dependence. Under this arrangement, individuals would get their methadone from community pharmacies.


What is Opioid Dependence?
Opioids are natural and synthetic substances typically used to relieve pain. Some opioids include OxyContin, Percocet, morphine, heroin and codeine. Individuals are opioid-dependent when they have a compulsive need to use the drug in increased amounts despite the negative consequences and they experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the substances.

What is Methadone?
Methadone is a long-acting synthetic opioid that is prescribed as a treatment for opioid dependence. According to the Canadian Health Network, "All opioid drugs affect the chemistry of the brain in similar ways. Because of this, methadone can be used to replace the opioid drug the individual is dependent on. Methadone improves the opioid dependent person's sense of well-being by preventing withdrawal and significantly diminishing drug cravings."

It is an effective and legal substitute for other shorter acting opioids. And because methadone is long acting, the need to inject other opioids is decreased, reducing the associated health risks.

What is Methadone Maintenance Treatment?
Although relatively new in this province, Methadone Maintenance Treatment has been available in Canada since the 1960s. While other forms of treatment continue to be explored, methadone is the most widely used form of treatment for people who are dependent on opioids. Individuals in these programs get a daily oral dose of methadone, usually under the supervision of a pharmacist or program staff person.

Comprehensive programs like the one in development in St. John's also include addictions and mental health counseling, urine drug screening tests, routine medical care and general health education.

What are the potential benefits of methadone treatment?
While it does not eliminate the drug use, methadone significantly reduces the harms associated with it. Studies have shown that methadone treatment can improve an individual�s physical and mental health and overall social functioning. Common benefits include decreased drug use, crime, and spread of communicable diseases, and supporting increased employment.

What is the role of counseling in Methadone Maintenance Treatment?
Counselling is considered a critical component in the recovery process.

While methadone addresses the cravings and physical needs of the addiction, it does not deal with the social, emotional and spiritual needs. Once stabilized on methadone, counsellors can help individuals make positive changes in their lives. This can include securing stable housing and finding employment. It can also include exploring the factors that contributed to the drug use in the first place. For many, it is helping them develop a whole new lifestyle - one that doesn't include a preoccupation with finding and using drugs.

Who should take methadone?
Methadone is intended for individuals who are opioid-dependent. While it is a widely accepted treatment, it is not the solution in all cases. Methadone should only be considered when other forms of treatment have not been effective.

Before participating in a methadone program, individuals need to be appropriately screened for suitability. The initial screening includes a physical examination, lab tests, a urine toxicology screen and an assessment of the history/pattern of opioid and other substance use, including previous treatment episodes.

Other options for treatment include detoxification (with or without the aid of medications), outpatient counseling (through any of the Addictions Services offices across the province), self-help (such as Narcotics Anonymous) and residential treatment (through the Humberwood program in Corner Brook).

Is methadone dangerous?
Methadone is a safe medication when a physician prescribes a proper dose to, and monitors, the individual who is opioid-dependent.

If used inappropriately, methadone can be extremely dangerous. Methadone can interact with other drugs and result in adverse medical and/or psychological consequences. Methadone can cause overdose and death if taken by a person who is not opioid-dependent.

How long should someone stay on Methadone?
There is usually no predetermined time frame for methadone treatment. As long as the individual experiences positive results, methadone treatment may continue to be an option. A decision to stop taking methadone should be made in consultation with the physician who will work to gradually decrease the dose.


How does someone access this service?
Anyone can make a referral but it is not a walk-in service.

Those interested in this temporary service can call the Addictions Services office at 752-4919. A counsellor will contact them and set up an appointment to discuss options and screen for suitability for the program. Once the initial requirements are completed, an appointment will be set with a physician to initiate the methadone dose.

Individuals will need to be closely monitored in the early stages to determine how they are tolerating the methadone dose. The methadone stabilization period generally takes up to a couple of weeks.

2006 06 27                                          11:05 a.m.