Opinion: Methadone treatment has been reformed for the better. States shouldn’t go back to the old ways
Since the Food and Drug Administration approved methadone for treating opioid use disorder in 1972, its distribution has been strictly regulated. The regulations were put in place to ensure public and patient safety. But they made it hard for people to get the treatment they need.
Until recently, most people had to visit a methadone clinic in person for an initial exam and then come in five to six days a week to take their doses under the watchful eye of a health care professional. One of the ideas behind this was to prevent people from diverting methadone to share with friends or sell on the street. The reality of it for patients was the requirement to visit an opioid treatment program nearly every day, which could significantly interfere with work and family obligations like child care. Transportation was also a problem for many.
