§ Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the efficacy of prescribing heroin substitutes. [162519]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 22 March 2004]The DH clinical guidelines, published in 1999, lay out the principles of safe and responsible prescribing to drug misusers. The guidelines discuss a number of alternative opiate and non-opiate substitute drugs. The recommendations in the guidelines are based on an expert review of the evidence.
Building on that, the National Treatment Agency (NTA) has produced guidance on the drugs used for substitute prescribing. This guidance was produced with the help of an expert working group, who based their advice on the evidence base. The NTA have also published guidance on the prescribing of injectable opiates for the small group of drug misusers who do not respond to oral substitute prescribing.