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   Study backs 'supervised heroin use' for addicts
Heroin users who injected the drug under supervision are more likely to stop their illegal use than addicts who were given methadone, according to new research. A study led by King's College, London, compared the results of treatment provided to 127 patients for 26 weeks at three NHS supervised injecting clinics in London, Brighton and Darlington. Two-thirds (66%) of the group receiving heroin injections tested negative for street heroin in at least half of weekly random urine tests carried out during the second half of the study (weeks 14 to 26). The result was more than twice as high as for those receiving injectable methadone (30%) and more than three times as high as for those taking oral methadone (19%). The findings of the Randomised Injectable Opiate Treatment Trial (RIOTT) are published in medical journal The Lancet today. The article written by a team led by Professor John Strang, of the National Addiction Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, said: "We have shown that treatment with supervised injectable heroin leads to significantly lower use of street heroin than does supervised injectable methadone or optimised oral methadone. "Furthermore, this difference was evident within the first six weeks of treatment." The authors add: "'Rolling out the prescription of injectable heroin and methadone to clients who do not respond to other forms of treatment', is detailed in the UK Government's 2008 Drug Strategy, subject to the results from this trial. "In the past 15 years, six randomised trials have all reported benefits from treatment with injectable heroin compared with oral methadone. "Supervised injectable heroin should now be provided, with close monitoring, for carefully selected chronic heroin addicts in the UK." Prof Strang added: "Our scientific understanding about how to treat people with severe heroin addiction has taken an important step forward. "The RIOTT study shows that previously unresponsive patients can achieve major reductions in their use of street heroin and, impressively, these outcomes were seen within six weeks. "Our work offers government robust evidence to support the expansion of this treatment, so that more patients can benefit." The heroin addicts selected to take part in the study had been receiving conventional oral treatment but had continued to inject street heroin regularly. Source: 24dash.com Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |
