In 1964, two American doctors, Marie Nyswander and Vincent Dole, used methadone as a pilot treatment for heroin addicts. From the results obtained, they found that methadone can help addicts stop using heroin and not have to increase the dose when taking Methadone for a long time. From there, methadone maintenance therapy for heroin addicts was born.
Currently, around the world, 80 countries have implemented programs to treat opiates with Methadone replacement drugs such as the US, Australia, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway...
In the United States, from 1938 to 1950, heroin addicts were treated in Forced Treatment Centers. However, heroin addicts after leaving treatment centers often have a very high relapse rate. At that time, more than 97% of patients treated at the Center from 6 months to 5 years still relapsed.
Failing with forced treatment, from 1964, the US began to widely apply the Methadone program. The first result that the US has achieved is a significant reduction in the crime rate related to the sale and possession of opium drugs, and stabilizing social order. After 1980, the rate of HIV, hepatitis B and C infection among heroin addicts decreased significantly. Currently in the US there are 750 Methadone Centers treating over 210,000 heroin addicts.
In the Netherlands, methadone treatment for opiate addiction has been determined to be long-term. Public health facilities for Methadone treatment in the police and medical sectors are established with extensive networks in Amsterdam. Recently, the number of patients treated with this method is gradually decreasing, because the number of people who have been completely cured of drug addiction is increasing sharply. According to 2007 statistics, Amsterdam's public health facilities treated 2,382 drug addicts with methadone.
The experience of the Netherlands shows that to effectively implement the Methadone program, first of all, there must be an extensive network of public health facilities providing Methadone examination and treatment services so that heroin addicts can easily access and use the service. service; have the appropriate attention of local authorities; In addition, there are propaganda measures on the effectiveness and safety of the comparison between the use of opiates and the substitutes of Methadone.
In Australia, in 1993 the treatment of heroin addiction with Methadone was considered a national policy. According to the Australian Government's annual survey data, in 2009 the country treated 43,445 cases of complex drug addiction. Of these, 70% were treated with methadone, the rest were treated with buprenorphine or naloxone. In 2009 there were an estimated 2,150 alternative treatment sites in Australia.
In China, putting the Methadone program into operation has saved a lot of resources. According to calculations by experts, every year 200 heroin users participating in the Methadone program will save 1.15 million USD compared to their drug use.
Methadone treatment for opioid addiction can help heroin addicts stop using or significantly reduce the amount of heroin used by the addict. Addicted people stop injecting heroin, or significantly reduce the frequency of injection, thus reducing the risk of HIV infection, hepatitis B, C; reduce deaths from heroin overdose. Many of these have curbed and reduced illegal activities; improve health status; improve and stabilize relationships with family and society; have a more stable job and study better.