PHARMACISTS' METHADONE BAN HITTING ADDICT WAITING LISTS

The decision by chemists to stop dispensing methadone to new recovering
heroin addicts will have a major effect on waiting lists, if it continues,
health authorities warned, yesterday.

People working with addicts have criticised the move by pharmacists - which
is being taken in protest over the Government's plans to deregulate the
industry.

"While the action is currently having some effect on our services, if it
were to continue for a long period it would have a significant effect on
the waiting list," said a spokesman for the South West Area Health Board.
There are currently 2,400 clients receiving services in the SWAHB, with 190
on the waiting list. The service is provided by approximately 60 GPs, 70
pharmacies and 26 treatment centres. The Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU)
said it will continue to treat existing clients and emergency cases.

Department of Health figures show that 5,865 people nationally are
currently receiving methadone treatment. There are 428 people on waiting
lists in the Eastern Region Health Authority Area and 38 people in the
regional health board areas.

Anna Quigley of Dublin Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign said chemists were
using a particularly vulnerable group as a means of furthering their
dispute. She added: "If someone can't get methadone treatment, then they'll
use different drugs, including heroin."

A spokesman for Killinarden Addiction Response Programme in west Tallaght,
Dublin, said: "We have four mothers waiting to get treatment from us, but
the health board said we can't take them on because pharmacists are not
willing to give new people methadone."