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Opioid Replacement
Therapy
I N AN I DE AL W O R L D
WE AS K E D P. A .M. S
( P HAR MAC OT HE R AP Y ADVO C AC Y ME DIAT I O N & S U P P O R T )
WHAT THE IR WI S HLI S T FO R ME THADO NE/S U B OXO NE PRO G R AM S
WO U LD B E-
THE Y SAID THI S: •F R EE O R T – N O CO S T TO • I N C R E A S E D ACC E S S TO
T H E CO N SU M E R . CO UN S E L L I NG AN D S UP P OR T
The Pharmacotherapy Advocacy, FO R T H O S E W H O WA N T I T.
Mediation and Support Service •M O R E C H O I C E O F
or PAMS is a program of Harm P RE S C RI BE R , • I M M E D I AT E ACC E S S TO
M E T H A DO NE I N P O L I C E
Reduction Victoria. PAMS is E .G . M O R E G P P R E S C R I B E R S , N U R S E C U S TO DY A N D I N P R I S O N
P R AC T I T I O N E R S , E TC .
a state-wide telephone service FO R T H O S E W H O WA N T I T
which works with ORT consumers •E V ERY P H A R M AC Y I N T H E A ND W H O : �A R E A L R E A DY O N
(people on methadone, suboxone S TAT E TO D I S P EN S E O R T A M E T H ADO N E P R O G R AM
or subutex programs or who want •G R E AT E R T R E AT M E NT B U T H AV E M I S S ED D O S E S AT
T H E I R CO M M U N I T Y
to get onto a program) and their OP T I ON S A N D CON S UM E R P H ARMAC Y D U E TO ARRE S T
direct service providers (GPs who CH O I CE , AN D I NC AR C E R AT I O N ;
prescribe ORT and pharmacies E .G . IN J EC TA B LE A R E N OT C U R R EN T LY O N A
who dispense ORT) on any client- M E TH A D O N E , H E R O IN O N M E T H ADO N E P R O G R AM O R
related problem. PAMS’ primary P R E S C R I P T IO N , S U B UT E X H AV E N E V ER B EEN O N A P R O -
G R AM
( B U P R E N O R P HI NE ) A ND
goals are program continuity (to SU B OXO N E , M E TH A D O N E IN
keep people on their programs), TA B L E T F O R M ( P H Y S E P TO N E ) , E TC . • I N C R E A S E D ACC E S S TO
facilitating access to ORT (to help M E T H A DO NE TA K E AWAYS
people get onto a program), and the • O P I O I D D EP EN D EN C E FO R T H O S E W H O A R E
resolution of program and client V I E W ED A S A H E A LT H I S S U E EM P LOY ED
related concerns. As a result, A N D N OT A C R I M E ( E S P EC I A L LY F U L L T I M E ) A N D W H O
S TA R T W OR K OU T SI D E OF
PAMS has its finger on the pulse •EL I M I N AT I O N O F S T I G M A S TA NDA R D B U S I NE S S H O U R S
and a keen idea of the problems A N D D IS C R I M I N AT I O N ( E .G . B E F O R E 8 - 9A M )
consumers face on a daily basis. TOWA R D S D R U G D EP EN D EN T
The following is what PAMS PEO PL E- B OTH D IS C R IM IN AT I O N • E S TA B L I S H M E N T O F A N
would wish for its clients, past, B Y S O C I E T Y I N G E N E R A L ; A N D A LT E R N AT IV E S YS T E M O F
D O S I NG FOR T HO S E W HO
�D I S C R I M I N AT I O N B Y S E R V I C E
present and future. P R OV I D E R S .
18 W H A C K P. I E D I T I O N : S P R I N G 2 0 16
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