Table NSP-8. Year of introduction of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), high-dosage buprenorphine treatment (HDBT) and heroin-assisted treatment, including trials

Country

MMT

Ref.

HDBT

Ref.

Heroin assisted treatment

Ref.

Belgium

1994

6

2003

2, 7

under study

13

Czech Republic

1998

4

2000

2

 

 

Denmark

1970

1

1999

2

 

 

Germany

1992

1

2000

2

2003

9

Estonia

2001

3

2003

2

 

 

Greece

1993

1

2002

14

 

 

Spain

1990

1, 5

1996

16

2003

8

France

1995

1

1996

2

 

 

Ireland

1992

1

2002

8

 

 

Italy

1975

1

1999

2

 

 

Latvia

1996

3

2003

8

 

 

Lithuania

1996

11

2002

2

 

 

Luxembourg

1989

1

2002

2

 

 

Hungary

1995

3

 

 

 

 

Malta

1987

10

 

 

 

 

Netherlands

1968

1

1999

2

1997

1

Austria

1987

1

1999

2

 

 

Poland

1993

3

 

 

 

 

Portugal

1977

1

1999

2

 

 

Slovenia

1990

3

2004

2, 8

 

 

Slovakia

1997

11

1999

15

 

 

Finland

1974

1

1997

2

 

 

Sweden

1967

1

1999

2

 

 

United Kingdom

1968

1

1999

2

1920s

12

Bulgaria

1996

11

 

 

 

 

Romania

1998

3

 

 

 

 

Norway

1998

8

2001

2

 

 

Notes:

For MMT and HDBT, the dates reflect the official availability of the treatment.

Where data are not available for a country, the table entry is left empty.

Substitution treatment programmes are currently under preparation in Cyprus.

Methadone is officially registered in Turkey for the treatment of opiate addiction, but information on availability of treatment is missing.

See also 'General notes for interpreting data' on the Explanatory notes and help page.

Sources:

(1) Farrell F, Verster A, Davoli M, Nilson M and Merino PP (2000) Reviewing current practice in drug-substitution treatment in the European Union, EMCDDA Insights Series, No. 3, EMCDDA: Lisbon.

(2) EMCDDA (2005) Annual Report 2005: selected issues. No. 3: Buprenorphine - treatment, misuse and prescription practices, Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

(3) EMCDDA (2003) The State of the drugs problem in the acceding and candidate countries to the European Union, Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

(4) A first unofficial programme was already implemented in 1992; see Czech Republic National Report 2000.

(5) After introduction in 1983, methadone substitution was prohibited again between 1985 and 1990.

(6) Following a National Consensus Conference, organised by the Ministry of Health in 1994.

(7) Legal basis for HDBT treatment created in Belgium in 2004.

(8) National Reports 2005.

(9) Randomised controlled trial of heroin-assisted treatment

(10) Arpa S, Muscat R (P-PG/Epid 2003 37E, p.30)

(11) According to data on methadone consumption published by the INCB, see Table NSP-9.

(12) Regular treatment option; prescribed in injectable and smokable form. United Kingdom National Report, 2005.

(13) Heroin Delivery under Control: feasibility and follow-up study (DHCo), http://www.belspo.be/belspo/fedra/proj.asp?l=nl&COD=DR/10

(14) Personal communication, Manina Terzidou, 30 May 2006.

(15) Buprenorphine was registered in the Slovakia in 1999; data on number of prescriptions not available.

(16) Decreto 89/1996, of 4 June.

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