Contrary to my blogging nom de plume, I am most active in meetings and as a sponsor to opioid addicts. They are patients at a methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinic where I hold a weekly recovery class. In fact, tomorrow I will testify in a certificate of need hearing for a proposed MMT center for a nearby county. Other than being prepared to answer the questions presented to me truthfully, I really don’t see the need for any preparation but a post on the subject matter certainly seemed timely.
It was in search of a photo to accompany this entry that I ran across this story from USA Today. Yeah it’s a little dated, but it seemed like a good way to concentrate on a singular issue instead of taking on the comprehensive subject. I’m also too lazy tonight to find something more current and this article really serves as a great example of why MMT is often misunderstood. Read the article, notice in particular that every fact and figure on overdoses given in the text is related to prescription methadone prescribed by doctors for pain management. Yet the big pretty picture of methadone offered along with the story is accompanied by this caption:
A plastic cup holds a dose of methadone at the Southern Indiana Treatment Center in Jeffersonville, Ind. Methadone deaths as a percentage of all drug overdose deaths has increased from 4% in 1999 to 13% in 2004, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
Not exactly a relevant picture is it? I am not sure if the author was biased or just ignorant of the subject matter, it’s misleading regardless.
Click “Read more” to continue…
There is another thing that is important about this picture and that is the methadone is in liquid form. Most clinics use this liquid form to make it more difficult for patients to abuse or resell. Those new to treatment or not adhering to the program are required to swallow the dose at the counter with a nurse in attendance. Obviously this makes diversion more difficult than compared to a pain management patient that is given a 50 count bottle in pill or wafer form with three refills. Government studies conclude that it is the increase in pain management methadone and not MMT that is the primary problem.
There are still those that abuse the system both on the clinic side and patients, but I am willing to accept this deviance in order to offer the chance of a better life for those that are willing to work for it.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks so much for taking the time to testify at the “Certificate of Need” hearing. I know the patients at the new clinic will surely be appreciative.
Methadone patients in treatment for addiction need all the allies they can get!
When discussing MMT pros and cons, is there a reason that the Buprenorphine alternative doesn’t seem to be part of the discussion?
There’s certainly some history around this (there always is) that we’re simply not aware of, but our addiction docs seem to think that “Bup” is a superior approach to dealing with opioid dependence..
we don’t have a dog in this fight…. (if there is a fight)..
we’re just curious…. (i.e. interested)..
jd.
to your question is here.
The stuff in that white plastic cup is biodone anyway, not methadone, not that there’s much of a difference, but to be perfectly accurate that’s Biodone, methadone is an amber colour.
and it also comes in other colors including an amber that is 2mg/ml strength, clear that is 5, and one like above that is 10. I am not sure, but I think the active ingredient in all dosing is clear, methadone hydrochloride.
Also- other brands use the cherry coloring other than Biodone.