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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2006, 08, 4 (pages: 53 - 64)

Methadone: Is It Enough?

Gossop M.

Summary: This paper looks at the applications of methadone in day-to-day clinical practice. It reviews the evidence of effectiveness, including those areas in which the outcomes of methadone treatment are less satisfactory. Although the majority of patients respond well to methadone maintenance, about one in four tends not to respond well to treatment. An important question is how to achieve a better understanding of the reasons why patients respond or fail to respond to methadone treatment. The paper considers some ways in which methadone treatments could be strengthened.