Evaluating Injectable Opioid Treatment for Heroin Dependence
Author Information
Author(s): Lintzeris Nicholas, Strang John, Metrebian Nicola, Byford Sarah, Hallam Christopher, Lee Sally, Zador Deborah
Primary Institution: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London
Hypothesis
Should patients not responding to oral methadone treatment be treated with injectable methadone or heroin?
Conclusion
The study aims to determine if injectable opioids are more effective than optimized oral methadone for patients who continue to inject heroin.
Supporting Evidence
- Injectable opioid treatment has been part of the British system for decades but is declining.
- Up to 50% of patients drop out of maintenance treatment within 12 months.
- Only one previous RCT of injectable methadone has been conducted in the UK.
Takeaway
This study is trying to find out if giving people heroin or methadone through a needle helps them stop using heroin better than just taking methadone by mouth.
Methodology
A multisite, prospective open-label randomized controlled trial comparing three treatment conditions over 6 months.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the open-label design where both participants and researchers know the treatment allocation.
Limitations
Limited evidence supporting injectable opioid treatment and concerns regarding medication diversion.
Participant Demographics
Patients aged 18-65 with a history of heroin dependence and currently in oral methadone treatment.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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