Palm Trees

Methadone Deaths on a Rapid Rise

Methadone is widely used as a treatment for heroin and pain medication addictions, as well as to treat chronic pain in some patients. But there is a growing concern over the number of deaths linked to the improper use of methadone.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of all poisoning deaths linked to methadone has tripled in recent years. Even more staggering is the fact that deaths linked to methadone are increasing faster than the deaths associated with any other narcotic.

As a result of this increase, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have launched an initiative to help guarantee the safe use of methadone. The program, called “Follow Directions: How to Use Methadone Safely,” is designed to inform consumers, health care professionals, and treatment clinics about the safe use of methadone and the effects of the misuse of the drug.

The greatest risk associated with methadone is the way the drug metabolizes in the body. Unlike other narcotic pain relievers, a single dose of methadone can stay in the body as long as 59 hours. If the drug is taken too often, in too high an amount, or with other drugs, it can build up to toxic levels.

“Methadone is an important and beneficial drug when prescribed and used properly,” said Douglas Throckmorton, M.D., Deputy Director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Educational efforts like the one we are announcing today can help prevent the tragedies that occur when methadone is used improperly.”

The FDA and SAMHSA have plans in place to continue to collaborate with other federal agencies, states, health professional societies, patient advocacy groups, and other interested parties in their efforts to combat this growing threat.