Heroin-assisted treatment is more effective for people with opioid dependence who continue intravenous heroin while on methadone maintenance or who are not enrolled in treatment. Despite a higher risk, it should be considered for treatment resistance under medical supervision.

In a large meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in emergency care settings, there was evidence for very small effects of brief interventions on alcohol consumption reductions. More intensive interventions showed no benefit over shorter approaches. Non-face-to-face interventions appear to be comparably effective, but this finding remains tentative due to the low number of non-face-to-face studies.

AimsTo compare the efficacy of slow-release oral morphine (SROM) and methadone as maintenance medication for opioid dependence in patients previously treated with methadone.DesignProspective, multiple-dose, open label, randomized, non-inferiority, cross-over study over two 11-week periods. Methadone treatment was switched to SROM with flexible dosing and vice versa according to period and sequence of treatment.SettingFourteen out-patient addiction treatment centres in Switzerland and Germany.ParticipantsAdults with opioid dependence in methadone maintenance programmes (dose ≥50 mg/day) for ≥26 weeks.MeasurementsThe efficacy end-point was the proportion of heroin-positive urine samples per patient and period of treatment. Each week, two urine samples were collected, randomly selected and analysed for 6-monoacetyl-morphine and 6-acetylcodeine. Non-inferiority was concluded if the two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) in the difference of proportions of positive urine samples was below the predefined boundary of 10%.FindingsOne hundred and fifty-seven patients fulfilled criteria to form the per protocol population. The proportion of heroin-positive urine samples under SROM treatment (0.20) was non-inferior to the proportion under methadone treatment (0.15) (least-squares mean difference 0.05; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.08; P > 0.01). The 95% CI fell within the 10% non-inferiority margin, confirming the non-inferiority of SROM to methadone. A dose-dependent effect was shown for SROM (i.e. decreasing proportions of heroin-positive urine samples with increasing SROM doses). Retention in treatment showed no significant differences between treatments (period 1/period 2: SROM: 88.7%/82.1%, methadone: 91.1%/88.0%; period 1: P = 0.50, period 2: P = 0.19). Overall, safety outcomes were similar between the two groups.ConclusionsSlow-release oral morphine appears to be at least as effective as methadone in treating people with opioid use disorder.

In order to evaluate the impact of consumption rooms (CRs) on the promotion of health among drug users and the reduction of the public nuisance of drug use, a study examining CRs in three countries was carried out in 2000. The study, supported by the European Commission, examined CRs in Rotterdam (The Netherlands), Innsbruck (Austria), and Hamburg (Germany). This paper evaluates the findings from the study of Hamburg CRs. In order to get evidencebased information on the effects of CRs, 616 drug users in the Hamburg drug scene or in the vicinity of low-threshold institutions were investigated with a standardized questionnaire. Qualitative problem-centered interviews were also carried out with staff members of the CRs, and representatives from the community, including neighborhood residents, business people, police, and politicians. Research findings show that the Hamburg CRs reached the target group of drug users who practice risky behaviors and engage in public drug use. Findings also show that the Hamburg CRs lead to positive changes in healthrelated behavior for drug users. In addition, the findings indicate that the Hamburg CRs played an important role in the reduction of public disturbances in the vicinity of open drug scenes.

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Benzodiazepine (BZD) use has been found to be associated with poorer psychosocial adjustment, higher levels of polydrug use and more risk-taking behaviors among opioid

HRQOL measurement provides valuable information for course and outcome in opioid dependence treatment.

The prescription of benzodiazepines which is not in accordance with the relevant national guidelines is widespread and calls for discussion and education among physicians and pharmacists. Furthermore, professional addiction services should reconsider ways to help and attract prescription drug-dependent people to cover their needs, as their numbers will grow in an aging society.