Pubdate: Fri, 6 Nov 1998
Source: West Australian, The (Australia)
Page: 11
Fax: +61 8 94823830
Author: Francesca Hodge

HEROIN TREATMENT BLOCKED

Key Report Throws Doubt On Doctor's Naltrexone Trial

HEROIN addicts who want to join a controversial Perth-based Naltrexone
treatment program will be turned away while a report into the trial is
examined.

George O'Neil, who runs the trial from his Subiaco clinic, said
yesterday he had been told not to speak to the media about the
independent report, which was commissioned by the Federal Government.

But Dr O'Neil said he would have to turn away heroin addicts for at
least three months. However, 930 people who were taking Naltrexone
would continue to be treated.

Naltrexone stops addicts feeling high when they use
heroin.

Dr O'Neil said its use in the treatment of heroin addiction might be
registered early next year.

It is believed the 68-page report was delivered to Dr O'Neil on
Wednesday by Susan Alder, director of the Therapeutic Goods
Administration drug safety and evaluation branch.

In August, a Commonwealth-appointed panel of experts headed by former
Fraser government minister Peter Baume investigated the trial.

WA Health Departmdnt mental health division head George Lipton said at
the time that despite government funding, there were concerns about
whether the trial fitted the classification of a research program. The
department had been concerned about several deaths associated with the
trial.

The Stale Government allocated $180,000 to Naltrexone trials -$60,000
of which went to Dr O'Neil's program and $20,000 to the University of
WA's Department of Psychiatry.

Dr O'Neil said he had no guarantees on the status of the remainder of
the funding. "I'm negotiating to try to get confirmation that West
Australian patients needing this treatment can continue to have it,"
he said. "The thing that matters the most to me is that people who
bring their children in to me to be treated can do so and I have no
written reassurance that that is the case."

Dr Alder could not be contacted and Health Minister John Day said it
would be inappropriate to comment until Dr O'Neil had a chance to
respond to the report.
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Checked-by: Patrick Henry