N.B. DOCTORS LAUNCH METHADONE CLINIC

MIRAMICHI, N.B. ­ Three doctors here have gone ahead with a methadone
clinic after the province axed the Miramichi Regional Health Authority's
methadone clinic - days before it was scheduled to open.

The doctors, who were to have worked at the health authority's clinic,
decided to go it alone and will bill the New Brunswick medical plan for
services provided. The three are licensed to dispense methadone.

The authority had earmarked more than $200,000 for the clinic and outfitted
a facility owned by the hospital. Authorities said there is an urgent need
for the clinic. It's believed there are 500 to 1,000 addicts in the
community of 49,000 people. However, the province cancelled the clinic with
no warning, saying there wasn't money to fund similar programs across the
province.

That statement by Health Minister Elvy Robichaud came in the wake of an
announcement cancelling a methadone program in Saint John and in the midst
of controversy over the removal of the CEO of the Miramichi Health
Authority, who claimed he was fired for saying rumours of hospital cutbacks
were interfering with recruitment. The province maintains he retired.

Dr. Bill Martin, president of the Miramichi Medical Staff, said in an
interview that the doctors who will staff the independent clinic have the
hospital's addiction specialist as the clinical overseer.

Although Dr. Martin is not licensed to prescribe methadone, he played a
pivotal role in getting the clinic off the ground. "We're renting the
original space from the hospital and looking for operating money from the
public and service clubs," he said.

"There's been a large public outcry for addiction services in this area.
People marched in the streets demanding help."

Robichaud said he can see no problem with the doctors running an
independent methadone clinic.