DISPENSER COULD CUT HEROIN DEATHS

Addicts Would Get Carefully Controlled Doses

Drugs deaths could be cut by using a dispensing device designed to prevent
overdoses.

The government is backing a trial of new technology designed to carefully
measure drug doses.

Officials hope it will can be used to reduce the number of heroin deaths
and cut crime.

It should also cut the number of people injecting their drugs and the rise
of diseases like Hepatitis and Aids spread through sharing dirty needles.

The new technology was first designed to provide carefully measured doses
of cannabis-based medicine for the treatment of conditions like multiple
sclerosis.

Controlled Doses

But it is hoped that the Advanced Dispensing System, designed by GW
Pharmaceuticals, will help Britain's 250,000 heroin users take their drugs
in a more controlled way ensuring they get the correct doses each time.

People taking part in the trial will self administer either heroin or
methadone using programmable inhalers.

The devices will be set in advance and will not be able to be broken into
or tampered with.

There have been concerns about the current prescribing and dispensing of
methadone.

Methadone is currently the standard treatment for heroin addicts, but as
more than a third of prescriptions are given in large weekly instalments
there have been a number of overdoses.

There are 250,000 heroin users in Britain

Professor John Strang, director of the National Addiction Centre, London,
where the trial is taking place, said: "There are overwhelming medical and
financial needs for the better treatment of people with opiate dependence.

"We want to offer a realistic alternative to black market drugs and help a
greater number to achieve stability and recovery in their lives.

"At the same time, the security of the device will mean less need for
supervision, leading to cost savings and increased throughput.

"We are looking for a major increase in safety and effectiveness of
treatment alongside a dramatic increase in the number of people being
treated - without any increase in the cost per patient."

It is also hoped that the use of the system will help reduce the risks for
addicts by replacing needles.

Security

Dr Philip Robson, medical director of GW Pharmaceuticals said he hoped they
would have the new system in addiction centres within the next three years.

"Our security technology has the potential to revolutionise the
prescription and dispensing of controlled drugs.

"The government's own figures show that every pound spent on the effective
treatment of heroin addicts saves UKP 3 in crime-related areas."

Roger Howard, chief executive of DrugScope said: "DrugScope warmly welcomes
the new trial which has the capacity not only to save lives and reduce
overdose, but to reduce the current cost of prescription services and the
risks of seepage into the black market.

"We eagerly await the results of the pilots and hope that if successful,
the government will consider extending it."

Lesley King-Lewis, chief executive of the charity Action on Addiction,
said:"The trial of this new device could radically change treatment for
heroin addicts.

"We hope the device will help drug addicts manage their habit in a
controlled way without the risks found in the current prescribing system.

"When we treat heroin addiction the levels of criminal behaviour drop by up
to 80% as do the levels of injecting and the risk of overdose. So if the
device is successful it will not only vastly improve the quality of life of
the heroin addict, it will also improve the quality of life of society at
large by reducing the level of drug related crime."