SURVEY OF STATE REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE DISPENSING OF METHADONE (FROM CRITICAL CONCERNS IN THE FIELD OF DRUG ABUSE - PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD NATIONAL DRUG ABUSE CONFERENCE, INC, 1978)

• NCJ Number: 54359
• Author(s): B STONE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW YORK (NY), 1976

Annotation

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE DISPENSING OF METHADONE ARE OUTLINED, AND RESULTS ARE REPORTED OF A SURVEY OF STATE METHADONE AUTHORITIES TO DETERMINE ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THESE REGULATIONS.

Abstract

THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION HAS RESTRICTED THE DOSAGE LEVEL OF METHADONE TO 100 MILLIGRAMS FOR ANY SINGLE DOSE TO BE CONSUMED AWAY FROM THE CLINIC'S IMMEDIATE CONTROL. IN ADDITION, PATIENTS ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE ONLY SPECIFIED AMOUNTS OF TAKE-HOME DOSAGES. RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A SURVEY TO EXAMINE WHAT, IF ANY, SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS THE 55 STATE METHADONE AUTHORITIES MAY HAVE TAKEN WITH REGARD TO THESE RESTRICTIONS. OF THESE AUTHORITIES, 33 REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE INCORPORATED THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) REGULATIONS IN FULL AND HAVE NOT MADE ANY ADDITIONS TO THEM. TWENTY-TWO HAVE DEVELOPED ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF METHADONE; WHILE NOT ALL OF THESE HAVE THE FORCE OF LAW, THEY ALL GOVERN METHADONE USAGE IN THEIR STATE IN PRACTICE. ONLY 6 OF THESE 22 AUTHORITIES HAVE DEVELOPED TAKE-HOME METHADONE REGULATIONS MORE STRINGENT THAN THOSE OF THE FDA. OHIO AND PUERTO RICO DO NOT ALLOW ANY METHADONE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE CLINIC BY THEIR PATIENTS. CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, GEORGIA, AND IDAHO HAVE SOMEWHAT STRICTER LIMITS ON THE TIME IN TREATMENT REQUIRED FOR TAKE-HOME PRIVILEGES. COLORADO LIMITS TAKE-HOME DOSAGE TO 50 MILLIGRAMS. IT IS NOTED THAT NUMEROUS INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS AND LOCALITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY RESTRICT TAKE-HOME MEDICATION BEYOND THE LIMITS SET BY THE FDA AND THE STATE AUTHORITY. THE WASHINGTON, D.C., AND BOSTON, MASS., PROGRAMS DO NOT ALLOW ANY TAKE-HOME MEDICATION. THE 22 STATES WITH REGULATIONS IN ADDITION TO THOSE OF THE FDA ARE LISTED, AND THOSE WITH STRICTER RULES FOR TAKE-HOME MEDICATION ARE ALSO LISTED, ALONG WITH THE LIMITS SPECIFIED BY EACH. (RCB)