A pilot study conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in collaboration with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) found anti-addictive drug Methadone to be effective in reducing drug use in India.
Methadone, taken orally or injected, helps people dependent on morphine, heroin and other substances to reduce and stop their drug usage. There are five centres across India are offering methadone maintenance treatment.
According to Christina Albertin, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) representative for South Asia, after the methadone treatment was used as a pilot project, it was found to be more effective with results of reduced drug use, injecting episodes and criminal behaviour amongst drug users. Moreover, the treatment using Methadone will also be a vital option for HIV prevention.
Besides being used to prevent withdrawal symptoms in patients who were addicted to opiate drugs and are enrolled in treatment programs, methadone is also used to relieve moderate to severe pain that has not been relieved by non-narcotic pain relievers.
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