Scaling up methadone maintenance treatment for opioid-dependent prisoners in Iran.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Research evidence indicates that prisoners in Iran are at risk of drug-related harm, including acquisition of blood-borne infections. In response, several prevention interventions including methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) have been introduced into prisons in Iran.

METHODS:

This report reviews and presents some important information extracted from published articles, and available documents on HIV sentinel surveillance and provision of MMT inside correctional settings in Iran.

RESULTS:

Biological surveillance data in 2005 showed that on average about 3% of prisoners in the country tested positive for HIV infection. MTT that constitutes a main component of the Prison Organisation's HIV prevention package is becoming increasingly accessible to opioid-dependent prisoners. Between 2002 and 2008, the number of opioid-dependent prisoners receiving MMT increased steadily from 100 to more than 25000.

CONCLUSION:

Experiences in Iran suggest that access to MMT would be helpful for reducing illicit drug injection in a prison setting and can be considered as a major intervention for preventing the transmission of blood-borne infections among prisoners.

• Authors: Marziyeh Farnia, Bahman Ebrahimi, Ali Shams, Saman Zamani
• Journal: The International journal on drug policy (Int J Drug Policy) Vol. 21 Issue 5 Pg. 422-4 (Sep 2010) ISSN: 1873-4758 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 20413287 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Analgesics, Opioid
• Methadone

Topics

• Alcoholism (drug therapy, rehabilitation)
• Analgesics, Opioid (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• HIV Infections (epidemiology, prevention & control, transmission)
• Health Services Accessibility
• Humans
• Iran (epidemiology)
• Methadone (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Opiate Substitution Treatment
• Opioid-Related Disorders (drug therapy, rehabilitation)
• Prisoners
• Prisons
• Risk-Taking
• Substance Abuse, Intravenous (drug therapy, rehabilitation)