Methadone treatment gets first major update in over 20 years
To better stave off opioid withdrawal, methadone clinics will be allowed to prescribe larger doses and be more flexible about “take-home” doses.
The federal government is unveiling new regulations meant to modernize methadone treatment, the first major update to patient care standards at methadone clinics in more than 20 years.
The new rules are aimed at increasing access to methadone, which has been used to treat opioid addiction in the U.S. since the early 1970s. The medication is highly effective: Studies show that people taking it are roughly 60% less likely to die of an opioid overdose. Still, even amid the opioid crisis, methadone treatment remains stigmatized and often inaccessible to those who need it most. To receive methadone, most patients must submit to frequent drug testing, participate in counseling sessions, and show up daily to receive a single dose.
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