DRUG WAS A WORRY, SAYS DAY

FORMER health minister John Day said concern over naltrexone was
behind the Court government's cautious funding of Subiaco doctor
George O'Neil.

In a letter to The West Australian Mr Day denied that he, his
predecessor, Kevin Prince, and Cabinet colleague, family and
children's services minister Rhonda Parker, had ignored warnings on
naltrexone from Sydney drug doctor and author Andrew Byrne.

Dr Byrne was quoted yesterday as saying he had raised worries over
the number of deaths among patients prescribed naltrexone with the
three ministers and State Coroner Alistair Hope between 1997 and late
last year but that his warnings were ignored.

But Mr Day said he had listened carefully to Dr Byrne's concerns.

"It is precisely because of the concerns expressed by Dr Byrne,
professional advisers in the Health Department of WA and NextStep and
other medical practitioners, some of whom have worked at Dr O'Neil's
clinic, that I and my predecessors have adopted a prudent and
cautious approach to the use of naltrexone," he said.

Mr Day said the former government's responsible approach was
repeatedly challenged over three years by Dr O'Neil and some of his
associates, the then Labor Opposition, the Australian Medical
Association and some in the media.

"An important question that should now be asked is whether the Labor
Government will be keeping its election promise to provide up to $1
million per year over the next four years to Dr O'Neil's naltrexone
clinic," Mr Day said.

"Was this promise a well thought out and genuine attempt to deal with
the problem of heroin addiction, or was it an opportunistic election
stunt which was not based on sound advice?"