Questions about Methadone and Medically Assisted Treatment

Question: Is Methadone Safe?
Answer: YES. Research and clinical study, particularly the ongoing work at Rockefeller University, has demonstrated the unequivocal medical safety of long-term methadone; there are no serious adverse effects, no harmful medication interactions, and it is safe for pregnant women.

Question: Are there any serious adverse effects with methadone?
Answer: NO. When taken as prescribed, long-term administration of methadone causes no adverse effects to the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, blood, bones, brain, or other vital body organs. Side effects such as constipation, water retention, drowsiness, skin rash, excessive sweating and reported change in sexual drive may or may not occur in the initial stages of treatment. These symptoms generally subside or disappear as methadone dosage is adjusted and stabilized, or when simple medical interventions are initiated.

Question: Is methadone a substitution of one drug for another?
Answer: NO. Methadone is not a substitute for opioids or any other short-acting opioid, and does not affect individuals in the same way. Methadone does not create a pleasurable or euphoric feeling; rather it relieves physiological opioid craving and is generally chosen by opioid-dependent individuals. Opioid addiction can be compared to other chronic diseases like diabetes. Methadone for the Opiate-addicted person is like insulin for the diabetic. Addiction doesn't go away on its own, and only gets worse without proper treatment.

Question: Does methadone impair mental function?
Answer: NO. Methadone has no adverse effects on intelligence, mental capability, or employability. Methadone treated patients are comparable to non-patients in reaction time, in ability to learn, focus, and make complex judgments. Methadone treated patients do well in a wide array of vocational endeavors, including professional positions, service occupations, and skilled, technical and support jobs. One recent study tested methadone patient's cognition, perceptual and motor functioning, reaction time, and attentional function, as well as performance of automobile driving behavior. It was concluded, confirming pervious findings, that methadone does not impair functional capacity.

Question: Who is eligible for Medication Assisted Treatment?
Answer: In order to be admitted to a clinic providing Medication Assisted Treatment, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment/SAMHSA standards require:

• A minimum of one year of addiction to opioids as well as current evidence of opioid addiction. Special circumstances apply to opioid dependent pregnant women, who may be admitted without demonstration of the one-year minimum.
• Applicant must also be over 18 years of age.
• If the applicant is under 18, (s)he must have parental consent and demonstrate at least two prior treatment episodes in either drug free treatment or short-term tapering.

Question: How are Medication Assisted Treatment programs monitored?
Answer: Medication Assisted Treatment is the most regulated substance abuse treatment alternative in the United States. Federal and state regulatory agencies monitor Medication Assisted Treatment programs through on-site program reviews. At the Federal level, regulatory oversight has been moved from the Food and Drug Administration to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, which requires programs to receive accreditation, a common requirement amongst health care providers. Programs also receive licenses from the DEA and the state in which they operate.