FED: Australians on methadone almost doubles in decade
By Danny Rose, Medical Writer21 May 2009 12:59 AM
Subject: FED: Australians on methadone almost doubles in decade FED: Australians on methadone almost doubles in decade Eds: Embargoed to (0100) AEST, Thursday, May 21
SYDNEY, May 21 AAP - The number of Australians in treatment programs for their heroin, or other opioid, addiction has almost doubled in a decade.
A report shows that more than 41,300 people were listed as being on methadone or related detox programs in June last year, up from 24,600 in June 1998.
The number increased after plateauing for several years, says Amber Jefferson who produced the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report.
"From 2005 to 2007, numbers remained relatively stable at around 39,000 people being treated for opioid drug dependence, but this rose to 41,347 in 2008," Ms Jefferson says.
"The proportion of male clients has remained the same, at about two thirds."
The report says 70 per cent of these people were on a methadone program with the remainder on buprenorphine or a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone.
Increasing numbers of addicts were being put on the combination treatment, Ms Jefferson says, than buprenorphine alone.
"The combination product is now more commonly used as a treatment for opioid dependence ... because it is believed (it) reduces the risk of inappropriate use," she says.
Methadone and buprenorphine are prescribed heroin substitutes while naloxone reverses the effects of opioids, and the combination treatment prevents withdrawal symptoms.
Australia's most populous state, NSW, continues to lead the nation with its residents accounting for 42 per cent of people in the programs, followed by Victoria (29 per cent) and Queensland (12 per cent).
Western Australia and South Australia each account for seven per cent of program participants.
The report also found almost 90 per cent of the "dosing points" were pharmacies, and their total number had increased slightly over the past three years.
The National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistics Annual Data collection: 2008 Report was released on Thursday.
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FED: Australians on methadone almost doubles in decade