Find Methadone Treatment Near Saint Paul IN
Buprenorphine, which was developed with federal funding and approved by the FDA in 2002, can be prescribed by doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants for 30 days at a time, picked up at a drug store and taken at home. Similar to patients taking methadone, patients who take buprenorphine are encouraged to attend individual and group counseling sessions.
As of October, 1,611 methadone treatment programs were operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 380,000 patients, SAMHSA data shows. And that number is projected to grow over the next two years.
Most methadone patients visit a clinic daily to take their medication while a professional observes them. They also are encouraged to attend individual and group psychosocial counseling sessions. Once stabilized, some patients can take home weekend doses, often graduating to weekly and monthly take-home dosing.
Dr. Yngvild Olsen, an addiction physician in Baltimore and board member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, said that even now, "access to methadone is highly geographic. It depends on where you live." "There has been an underlying stigma against methadone for so many years that the industry naturally maintains a low profile."
Some politicians, including former Republican New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, have criticised the use of the drug, comparing methadone treatment to trading one addiction for another.
Many states have set a cap on the number of clinics they may licence due to crowded parking lots, long wait times, and the possibility of drug diversion.