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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1974
METHADONE MAINTENANCE +HERE TO STAY÷
SAYS DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH ******
DR. GERALD CHOA, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, SAID TONIGHT HE WAS PERSONALLY CONVINCED THAT METHADONE MAINTENANCE +HAS COME TO STAY+, AND VERY GOOD PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN THE TWO TRIAL SCHEMES NOW GOING ON.
HE TOLD THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY THAT HE HAD NO DOUBT THE PRESENT METHOD OF CONTROLLED DAILY DOSAGE BY MOUTH WOULD BE USED ON A WIDER SCALE IN THE FUTURE IN OTHER CENTRES, BUT THE SCALE WOULD DEPEND ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND STAFF.
WITH THE EXPERIENCE GAINED SO FAR, HE FELT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO MODIFY CERTAIN DETAILS OF THE REGIMES NOW USED IN THE TRIALS. FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, THE COMPULSORY PERIOD OF HOSPITALISATION DURING WHICH THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS WERE OBSERVED, AND THE DOSAGE OF METHADONE DETERMINED, MIGHT HAVE TO BE DISPENSED WITH.
DR. CHOA SAID HE WAS RELIEVED THAT SO FAR +THERE HAS BEEN NO EVIDENCE OF METHADONE BEING TRADED IN THE BLACK MARKET, DUE LARGELY TO THE EXTREME CARE WITH WHICH THE DRUG IS ADMINISTERED TO THE ADDICTS WHO ARE NEVER GIVEN A SUPPLY TO TAKE AWAY.+
HE MADE THE POINT THAT IT WAS UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED THAT THE SUCCESS OF A METHADONE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME DID NOT LIE ON THE PERCENTAGE OF 'CURES' ACHIEVED.
+IN FACT,+ HE SAID, THE WORD 'CURE WHENEVER IT IS USED SHOULD BE IN INVERTED COMMAS BECAUSE IF IT MEANS COMPLETE ABSTINENCE FROM THE USE OF ADDICTIVE DRUGS, THEN THIS MAY BE ACHIEVED IN ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OR PERCENTAGE OF THE SAMPLE.
+THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF METHADONE MAINTENANCE IS TO KEEP A LARGE NUMBER OF ADDICTS ON THE PROGRAMME SO THAT THEY CAN GET COUNSELLING AND AFTER-CARE, AND BE REHABILITATED INTO SOCIETY AS WORKING AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS.+
IN A REFERENCE TO THE USE OF ACUPUNCTURE IN THE TREATMENT OF DRUG 8:589,, DR. CHOA SAID SOME WORK HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT, BUT HAVING STUDIED PRELIMINARY REPORTS, HE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT MORE HAD YET TO BE DONE TO ESTABLISH WHETHER ACUPUNCTURE WAS SUITABLE FOR ALL ADDICTS -- +BEARING IN MIND THAT METHADONE MAINTENANCE, FOR INSTANCE, SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR THE YOUNG AND NEWLY-INITIATED, AND PHYSICAL REHABILITATION IS NOT FOR THE OLD AND INFIRMED.+
HE TOLD THE GATHERING THAT THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) HAD ASKED THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH IN THE USE OF ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE TREATMENT OF DRUG ADDICTION, AND THE DEPARTMENT HAD ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE BY SETTING UP A NARCOTICS AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DIVISION.
THE DIVISION'S FUNCTION WAS TO CO-ORDINATE ALL TREATMENT PROGRAMMES NOW BEING CARRIED OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT AND VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS, AND IT WAS +ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT SUCH TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FACILITIES AS ARE AVAILABLE NOW WILL HAVE TO BE EXPANDED TO ACCOMMODATE A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER NUMBER OF ADDICTS.+
/ON THE CONTROL