DUSHANBE, September 26, 2009, Asia-Plus — The methadone replacement therapy is the last hope for drug-dependent persons to get out of this illness, pharmacologist, Candidate of Sciences in Medicine Safol Mousoyev, said in an interview with Asia-Plus, commenting on the health minister’s order permitting use of the methadone replacement therapy for treatment of drug-dependent persons.
“However, this therapy does not guarantee full recovery and 30 of 100 drug-dependent persons undergoing the methadone therapy may start taking the drugs again,” the expert said.
According to him, the advantage of the methadone replacement therapy is the fact that it saves injecting drug users from contracting viral diseases such hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS. He believes that the methadone replacement therapy suits not all drug-dependent persons and it has different effect upon different people.
We will recall that medical workers in Khujand have begun using methadone for treatment of persons who abuse heroin and other opiates. 50 drug-dependent persons, HIV and hepatitis sufferers have been selected in Khujand and they will be treated free of charge due to financial support from the Global Fund and the UNODC. The program will be introduced stage by stage and Khorog, Khujand, Dushanbe and Khatlon have been chosen as pilot areas for introduction of the new treatment method.
Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic, antitussive and a maintenance anti-addictive for use in patients on opioids. It was developed in Germany in 1937. Although chemically unlike morphine or heroin, methadone also acts on the opiod receptors and thus produces many of the same effects. Methadone is also used in managing chronic pain owing to its long duration of action and low cost.
Methadone is useful in the treatment of opioid dependence. It has cross-tolerance with other opioids including heroin and morphine and a long duration of effect: oral doses of methadone can stabilize patients by mitigating opioid withdrawal syndrome. Higher doses of methadone (60–80 mg+) can block the euphoric effects of heroin, morphine, and similar drugs. As a result, properly dosed methadone patients can reduce or stop altogether their use of these substances.
