For two years Mersey drug dependency units (DDUs) have been prescribing heroin to opiate injectors to encourage them to move away from injecting. Smokable cocaine and amphetamine are also prescribed. Smoking stimulates the ‘rush’ from injecting and may be suitable…
Tag Archive for prescribing
Druglink article 1990 – The cost of prescribing by Mike Smith
Using methadone to attract and maintain clients may make good anti HIV sense – but who is going to pay the drug bill? The cost of prescribing (PDF) Additional keywords: budgets / costs / methadone maintenance
Druglink article 1990 – Prescribing heroin: does it work? by Martin Mitcheson and Richard Hartnoll
A study in 1972-76 randomly allocated heroin addicts seeking a heroin prescription into two groups, one prescribed injectable heroin, the other only oral methadone. Twelve months later many more of the heroin group were still in treatment but more were…
Druglink article 1990 – New treatments for opiate dependence by Colin Brewer
For some opiate addicts the usual oral methadone regimes are inappropriate or ineffective. Alternative regimes are available. Injectable methadone ampoules can now be labelled to help prevent diversion. Long-acting substitutes for methadone and drugs that block the effects of opiates…
Druglink article 1989 – Motivating change by Keith Bolton and Robert Watt
At Northern Road clinic in Portsmouth, methadone pulls in the clients and ‘motivational interviewing’ helps nudge them to move away from drugs. Motivating change (PDF) Additional keywords: counselling / motivation / Prochaska / DiClemente / Process of change model /…
Druglink article 1989 – A low threshold methadone programme by Philip Fleming
Flexible, accessible, attractive – that’s what government and their advisers say addiction clinics should be to counter HIV. At Northern Road they’ve thrown out the waiting lists and detoxification timetables and let the clients set the goals. A low threshold…
Druglink article 1989 – Rolleston: The defence of the right to prescribe by Mike Ashton
In British drug history no document has more claim to the term ‘classic’ than the 1926 report of the Rolleston committee. Under pressure from the Home Office the eminent physicians on the committee claimed their right to prescribe – even…
Druglink article 1988 – A problem with Lorazepam? by Heather Ashton
Last October’s BBC2 Brass tacks programme spotlighted addiction to Lorazepam. Is the drug so bad, or is it just one tranquilliser problem among many? A problem with Lorazepam? (PDF)
Druglink article 1988 – Doctors turn to more addictive short-acting benzodiazepines
Figures recently released by the DHSS show that prescribing of the type of benzodiazepines most likely to cause dependence and lead to withdrawal problems has been increasing. Doctors turn to more addictive short-acting benzodiazepines (PDF)
Druglink article 1987 – Substitution is not a solution by Raj Rathod
When clinics all around began long-term opiate prescribing, Doctor Rathod’s prescribed none at all. He still believes giving in to blackmail helps neither the addict nor society. Substitution is not a solution (PDF)