Substitution or replacement therapy
August 17, 2023
Medically supervised administration of a psychoactive substance pharmacologically related to the one creating dependence (often buprenorphine or methadone) to substitute for that substance. This aims at preventing withdrawal symptoms while reducing or eliminating the need or desire for illicit drugs. Substitution therapy seeks to assist drug users in switching from illicit drugs of unknown potency, quality, and purity to legal drugs obtained from health service providers or other legal channels, thus reducing the risk of overdose and HIV risk behaviors, as well as the need to commit crimes to obtain drugs.
