PM BACKS METHADONE SUBSTITUTE

A TREATMENT for heroin addicts that is safer and less addictive than
methadone is expected to be available in Australia from September.

The drug is a combination of buprenorphine and narcan, the latter
already used to revive overdose victims.

It can help detoxify addicts within seven days or be used as a
"maintenance" treatment.

An application to register the treatment will be lodged by September,
The Sunday Telegraph has learned.

Prime Minister John Howard has already agreed to fast-track
consideration of subsiding buprenorphine under the Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme.

In a trial against methadone in NSW last year, buprenorphine proved as
effective at decreasing heroin use and criminal activity.

But it has a much easier withdrawal, can be taken every second day
(unlike methadone, which is daily) and is extremely unlikely to cause
overdoses.

In France 96 where buprenorphine was introduced in 1986 and is used by
50,000 addicts 96 the number of overdoses has fallen
dramatically.

Australian experts say that in the long term, it is much more helpful
to addicts than the controversial detox drug naltrexone.

Buprenorphine has just been registered in Britain, and registration is
pending in the United States.