To the Editor: Hall et al1 argue that a hydromorphone trial would break the current deadlock in Australia over prescription heroin research. But would it? If hydromorphone was demonstrated to be an effective intervention for treating refractory heroin users, researchers would then wish to compare both hydromorphone and prescription heroin against the gold standard, oral methadone.
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- 1 Alcohol and Drug Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW.
- 2 Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Research Centre Inc., Fitzroy, VIC.
- 3 Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA.
Correspondence: awodak@stvincents.com.au
- 1. Hall WD, Kimber J, Mattick RP. Breaking the deadlock over an Australian trial of injectable opioid maintenance. Med J Aust 2002; 176: 72-73. http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/176_02_210102/hal10601_fm.html
- 2. Sheldon T. Netherlands considers prescribing heroin to addicts [news]. BMJ 2002; 324: 385.
- 3. The Swiss drug policy: a fourfold approach with special consideration of the medical prescription of narcotics. Bern: Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, 1999.
- 4. Newspoll and The Australian. Heroin trial poll. Available at: <http://newspoll.com.au/cgi-bin/display_poll_data.pl> (accessed 4 April 2002).
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