Ian Hamilton considers a new Lancet Psychiatry systematic review and meta-analysis that examines the effectiveness of buprenorphine versus methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence, drawing from observational and randomised controlled studies.
[read the full story...]A human rights approach to integrating HIV and substance misuse services
Andie Ashdown and Theophanis Kyriacou summarise a recent paper on integrating HIV and substance misuse services, which draws on a person-centred approach that is grounded in human rights.
[read the full story...]Can a ‘personalised psychosocial toolbox’ help people reduce ‘on-top’ drug use during opioid substitution treatment?
Vicky Carlisle summarises a promising recent RCT on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an adjunctive personalised psychosocial intervention in treatment-resistant maintenance opioid agonist therapy.
[read the full story...]Opiate substitution therapy: supervised-consumption vs take-home doses
Vicky Carlisle publishes her debut elf blog on a Cochrane review of supervised dosing with long-acting opioid medication in the management of opioid dependence.
[read the full story...]How does buprenorphine fair as an alternative to methadone for treating opioid dependence?
Meg Fluharty summarises a recent Cochrane review, which tells us that high-dose buprenorphine is an effective maintenance treatment for heroin compared to placebo, but fixed flexible-dosing methadone is superior to buprenorphine at participant retention.
[read the full story...]Interventions for drug using offenders: What works in reducing drug use and criminal activity?
It is estimated that between 10% (Gunn 1991) and 39% (Brooke 1996) of prisoners in the UK are dependent on illicit drugs; and that 14.5% of male and 31% of female prisoners have serious mental health problems (Steadman 2009). Drug use can be associated with many health, social and criminological consequences; and when mental health [read the full story…]