Pubdate: Fri, 16 Feb 2007
Source: Metro (CN BC)
Copyright: Metro 2007
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Izabela Szydlo
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

DOCTORS BACK UP MAYOR'S PROGRAM FOR DRUG ADDICTS

Would Replace Illegal Substances With Prescriptions

Three prominent doctors are backing Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan's 
plan to establish a substitution treatment trial for drug addicts.

Doctors David Marsh, Perry Kendall and John Blatherwick have agreed 
to provide advice and leadership.

"This offers an alternative that might work," said Blatherwick, chief 
medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health.

"We got a politician sticking his neck out, the least we could do as 
medical advisers is make sure it is developed."

Lois Johnson, executive director of Inner Change, the non-profit 
society developed to manage the proposed trial, said the doctors' 
endorsement is a positive step.

"Their advice and support for the project is really important to the 
clinical trial portion of it," she said.

But Brenda Plant, executive director for Turning Point Recovery 
Society, which provides residential recovery, said it is too early to 
judge the project.

"Drug substitution treatment is a relatively new initiative and it 
remains to be seen what impact it will have," she said.

"What is really important is the fact that treatment does work. 
People do recover from addiction."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom