USA. At Las Vegas conference, methadone clinics blast idea of doctors prescribing directly
USA. At Las Vegas conference, methadone clinics blast idea of doctors prescribing directly
LAS VEGAS — Mark Parrino, the longtime leader of the U.S. methadone clinic industry, kicked off his organization’s conference here last week with a simple message: Allowing addiction doctors to prescribe the medication directly to their patients is “not a good idea.”
It was a revealing warning both in timing and tone. At no moment since Parrino founded the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, a national advocacy group representing methadone clinics, has his industry faced such pressure to radically expand access to the medication. But amid record opioid overdose deaths, the clinics are facing calls for reform from major medical groups, politicians, and patient advocates, many of whom perceive the clinics as restrictive, punitive, or unwilling to provide patient-centered care. (Stat news, USA, 28.05.2024)
https://www.statnews.com/2024/05/28/addiction-methadone-clinics-doctor-prescription-markey/