International Journal of Drug Policy
Volume 21, Issue 5 , Pages 422-424, September 2010

Scaling up methadone maintenance treatment for opioid-dependent prisoners in Iran

  • Marziyeh Farnia

      Affiliations

    • The Iran Prison Organisation, Tehran, Iran
    • ,
  • Bahman Ebrahimi

      Affiliations

    • The Iran Prison Organisation, Tehran, Iran
    • ,
  • Ali Shams

      Affiliations

    • The Iran Prison Organisation, Tehran, Iran
    • ,
  • Saman Zamani

      Affiliations

    • Department of Global Health and Socio-epidemiology, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +81 75 753 4350; fax: +81 75 753 4359.

Received 15 October 2009; received in revised form 7 March 2010; accepted 17 March 2010. published online 22 April 2010.

Abstract 

Background

Research evidence indicates that prisoners in Iran are at risk of drug-related harm, including acquisition of blood-borne infections. In response, several prevention interventions including methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) have been introduced into prisons in Iran.

Methods

This report reviews and presents some important information extracted from published articles, and available documents on HIV sentinel surveillance and provision of MMT inside correctional settings in Iran.

Results

Biological surveillance data in 2005 showed that on average about 3% of prisoners in the country tested positive for HIV infection. MTT that constitutes a main component of the Prison Organisation's HIV prevention package is becoming increasingly accessible to opioid-dependent prisoners. Between 2002 and 2008, the number of opioid-dependent prisoners receiving MMT increased steadily from 100 to more than 25000.

Conclusion

Experiences in Iran suggest that access to MMT would be helpful for reducing illicit drug injection in a prison setting and can be considered as a major intervention for preventing the transmission of blood-borne infections among prisoners.

Keywords: Prison, Methadone maintenance treatment, HIV, Iran

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PII: S0955-3959(10)00062-9

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2010.03.008

International Journal of Drug Policy
Volume 21, Issue 5 , Pages 422-424, September 2010

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