Misusers may receive methadone from drug centres and GPs simultaneously

Trends in drug overdose deaths in England and Wales 1993–98: methadone does not kill more people than heroin

“…There is also some variation in the frequency with which prescriptions are given: some patients are expected to pick up prescriptions on a daily basis, others less frequently, and often with increased supplies prescribed to cover the weekend and bank holidays [15]. An ongoing concern in the United Kingdom is that the peculiarity of the ‘British system’ of prescribing has been a risk factor, rather than a protective factor, for opiate‐related deaths [16–24]. That is that methadone—either through diversion of pharmaceutical supplies and/or over‐prescribing to an individual—is responsible for an increase in opiate‐related overdoses.…”

Evaluating the impact of methadone maintenance programmes on mortality due to overdose and aids in a cohort of heroin users in Spain

“…This is due to the risks associated with the first few weeks in MT [19,20], with take‐home doses [21,22], the concurrent consumption of other substances [12] or from suicide attempts via methadone poisoning [23]. Due to the rise in drug‐related deaths and the presence of methadone in overdose deaths [23–25], some countries have either restricted the use of MT, allowing only methadone detoxification treatments/programmes [26], or they are considering more control over the dispensing of methadone [27–29]. Both these policies could worsen the coverage of treatment of heroin users.…”