The President’s Office: Update On Regulations

The next few years will be important and exciting for methadone maintenance treatment. On May 17, 2001 the oversight of methadone was officially
removed from the FDA and handed over to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. We are currently in a3-year transition period during which CSAT is slowly setting policy which
includes accreditation of all methadone programs. All states are also having to adjust and in many cases re-write their regulations to comply with the new federal.

There have been changes in the methadone regulations that are finally giving clinicians the ability to make real value treatment decisions that are not dictated by non medical bureaucrats and politicians.
The new regulations also removed the restriction that methadone prescribed for treating addiction can only be administered from a licensed clinic. This opens the Door for Office Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT).
This is all exciting.

The DEA will remain involved in methadone treatment in the role that it always had which was security.

This is definitely the beginning of a change in methadone treatment but without the voice of the
consumer to assure that methadone treatment will be delivered with dignity and respect then things will remain pretty much the same.

THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN HELP!

You can do two things that are very important and will help to insure that methadone treatment moves in the right direction.

NUMBER 1. Support NAMA. When NAMA started out 15 years ago a patient representative had never been involved in policy issues.
Even the idea of including patients in such important things were just not considered. This has all changed because of NAMA. Today important policy changes are happening and this is the most important time to continue this input at the federal and state levels.

A NAMA representative was on the first committee formed to discuss the changing of the federal regulations and throughout the process NAMA has always been there to insure that patients would have input.
The new federal policy that a clinic must have a patient council or representative involved in clinic policy occured because of NAMA. Unfortunately some advocates do
not understand the power that this gives to patients and prefer to focus on the momentary benefits that affect them personally such as extended takes home medication. NAMA does not believe
that advocacy should include personal gain and that if you advocate for the patients with the least power then treatment with dignity and respect will come to all patients.

It is NAMA’s 15 years of knowledgeable experience that gives methadone advocacy immediate respect in the methadone community. For example new chapters to NAMA have the advantage of being mentored by individuals that are considered the most experienced methadone advocates in the country and the world for that matter.
NAMA’s responsible advocacy has earned respect from providers and policy makers.

For NAMA to continue we need your support — financially. Please join NAMA and won’t you consider giving a small contribution to help in furthering the struggle.

NUMBER 2. Organize a Patient Group. Now that the federal guidelines call for patient representation this is a great opportunity to finally have a say in clinic policy.
NAMA has prepared a manual on Starting a Methadone Advocacy Group that you can download to help you with it. And then become a chapter or affiliate (international)
of NAMA. And by joining with NAMA you will obtain mentoring and support from a large network that is respected around the world.