Methadone advocacy: The voice of the patient

This decade will see great strides in the acceptance of methadone treatment for heroin addiction, as a result of clear scientific and clinical evidenc e of its efficacy, and strong methadone advocacy. The new proposal for rule making (NPRM) will help the medical profession accept methadone treatment as beneficial for opiate addiction and realize that it should be more acces sible to patients from trained physicians in the community. This will be th e first step in reducing the stigma and prejudice that continue to hinder t he availability of this lifesaving medication to all who need it. Methadone advocacy has grown into a powerful network of groups working towa rd the same major goals. As the premier methadone advocacy organization and the voice for methadone patients, the National Alliance of Methadone Advoc ates (NAMA) will promote the view that methadone patients are to be judged by the contributions they make to their families and communities.