Q: What is Methadone maintenance therapy?

ANS:

 Methadone is a less addictive drug used as a substitute of heroin; its oral administration avoids infectious diseases from sharing needles. Methadone is a level two controlled drug, its use, storage, and safekeeping should abide by related regulations. The Department of Health has established standards like “operating principles of maintenance therapy” as a base for related therapy to prescribe substitute drugs under supervision, achieve the goal of treatment, reduce adverse effects, enhance control, and prevent use for other purposes. At present, cases receiving Methadone maintenance therapy are still required to go to the hospital each day to take Methadone under the supervision of medical personnel. Rehabilitation at our Center currently only uses psychological treatment and do not provide Methadone maintenance therapy. However, Jianan Mental Hospital does provide Methadone maintenance therapy and if an individual requires this service after leaving our center, he can go Jianan Mental Hospital for this therapy at his own expense. Furthermore, hospitals in southern Taiwan that also provide this service include: Tsyr-Huey Mental Hospital, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, E-Da Hospital, and Kaohsiung Kai-Suan Psychiatric Hospital.