This is very exciting news. The cocktails consist of two new drugs: boceprevir from Merck & Co., and telaprevir from Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Each is paired with two drugs used to treat hepatitis C for more than a decade -- interferon and ribavirin. Although interferon and ribavirin have worked in some people, thousands took the drugs … Continue reading Hepatitis C cure?
Month: March 2011
“Recovery: great in theory, but where’s your evidence?”
PeaPod has a great post addressing the rejection of recovery on the basis of "evidence": ...existing research is focussed on professionally dominated, time limited treatment and uses “out of date” methods, seeing treatment as technology. In other words, you come along, get treatment “done” to you and then outcomes are measured. This misses so much, … Continue reading “Recovery: great in theory, but where’s your evidence?”
Harm Reduction and 12 Step Approaches Complimentary?
PeaPod has a great post on harm reduction and 12 step oriented treatment. He reviews an article that suggests that they can be complimentary. I'm more and more convinced that this is true. However, the big question is, what values and beliefs animate the intervention? Can the harm reduction provider embrace beliefs like: for addicts, … Continue reading Harm Reduction and 12 Step Approaches Complimentary?
Drug Courts Are Not the Answer?
The Drug Policy Alliance has a new paper that characterizes drug courts as a failure and advocates abandoning them for all but the most serious cases. I often disagree with the DPA, but this time I feel a little disappointed. Basically, they poke holes in the arguments that drug courts are an effective alternative to … Continue reading Drug Courts Are Not the Answer?
The American treatment systems
I stumbled upon this article today on what The Meadows treatment program can teach the U.K. treatment system. I assume that The Meadows is a fine treatment program, but its framing as representative of the American treatment system is curious. It's certainly representative of one American treatment system—the one available to very rich people. The … Continue reading The American treatment systems
a legal campaign to imprison our most vulnerable and damaged citizens
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. -- F. Scott Fitzgerald I have considerable respect for a willingness to tolerate cognitive dissonance where drug policy is concerned. As such, I'd like to hear David Simon say more … Continue reading a legal campaign to imprison our most vulnerable and damaged citizens
The coach you know
This blog frequently discusses addiction as a chronic illness. The name of the game in treating chronic illnesses is to keep the patient in treatment and maintain high levels of compliance with the treatment plan. Addiction treatment providers are not alone in this struggle: Doctors are very good at telling us what to do — … Continue reading The coach you know
“I want to be rid of junk…”
"I want to be rid of junk more than I ever wanted anything." "Wherever I go and whatever I do I am always in the strait-jacket of junk, unable to move a finger to free myself." What symbol of opiate addiction as uber-cool and culturally liberated hedonism made these statements? William Burroughs. Addicts hate their lives. … Continue reading “I want to be rid of junk…”
Sheen, addiction and domestic violence
There's been a lot of buzz about Charlie Sheen's sad and all too public descent into addiction-induced madness. I tend not to comment on these kinds of stories, but I saw a couple other things I wanted to highlight. First, in some corners, there is a strange romanticisation of his "honesty" about his drug use and … Continue reading Sheen, addiction and domestic violence
Recovery Review 