Pubdate: 17 Apr 1999
Source: Survey of German Language Newspapers for 17 April 99
Courtesy: Harald Lerch  Pat Dolan (Translator's comment: The WHO report on the Swiss Heroin Trial
received some attention, mainly in the Swiss press. The Swiss French
language 'Le Temps' was the only one to carry a full report on the
front page. (Brief report given at end.) The WHO criticisms reported
below in the 'Tagblatt' seem to lend a new dimension to the word 'cavil'.)

News In Brief

"Praise and Criticism for Heroin Distribution Trial"

The Swiss 'Tagblatt' (http://www.tagblatt.ch) reported today on the
findings of the WHO Report promulgated at a press conference given
yesterday by Thomas Zeltner. Under the title, "Praise and Criticism
for Heroin Distribution Trial" Claudine Boehlen reports as follows:

Voting on Heroin Trial: Experts acknowledge results, criticize methods

(Swiss) Authorities see the trial results confirmed: WHO experts reach
the decision that heroin distribution is practicable, but criticize
the trial methodology.

In ten towns and in the Solothurner prison 860 hard core addicts are
currently being supplied with heroin under medical supervision. These
heroin programs are now to be placed on a  legal footing, provided the
referendum to be held on June 13 results in a majority 'Yes' vote.
Further places have been made available on condition that the trials
are conducted on a strictly scientific basis. At the request of  the
Swiss federal office of health, WHO experts carefully scrutinized the
trial. Their report was promulgated at a press conference given
yesterday by Thomas Lautner.

The experts confirmed that such trials were practicable ('do-able'
pd), said Zeltner. The high standards of professionalism in the
conduct of the trials were noted, as also the high rate of participant
completions as opposed to comparable rates for methadone and
abstinence oriented therapies. Lacunae were noted in the trial
methodology and in the assessment of the form of treatment. Lacking
above all was the failure to provide for a sufficiently long period of
observation of a control group. This rendered it impossible to say
whether the improvement in the participants’ heallth and the reduction
of criminality was a consequence of the heroin distribution or the
psycho-social services which accompanied it. It also remained unclear
whether the same results might have been obtained with a methadone
program. The experts noted also that the trial was carried out in a
country which had a well functioning health system. Without it, it is
doubtful whether the trial results would have general validity.

............. 

Le Temps Report

The influential Swiss paper 'Le Temps' carried a front page report
which concluded by saying that the WHO report confirmed the
assessments already made by the Swiss experts of the essential
elements of the trial and had deprived opponents of the trial, a
referendum on which is to be held on June 13, of their best arguments.

Full report: Le Temps (http://www.letemps.ch/suisse_4.htm)
"Distribution d'heroine: l'ONU soutient la Suisse"

"Heroin distribution: UNO supports Switzerland"
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake