A new agreement to see pharmacies return to the dispensing and administration of methadone has been signed today by ICAD, the Lisbon-based institute for the treatment of addiction, and pharmaceutical associations.
ICAD president João Goulão says the plan will uncomplicate a situation for people prescribed methadone. “Instead of having to go to specific units every day to take their medication and collect their doses, they can go to the pharmacy in their area of residence or employment, which interferes much less with their daily routines”, he said.
Methadone used to be dispensed/ administered by pharmacies – but the arrival of the troika, post bailout, ‘interrupted’ the service in 2012, as yet another way of ‘saving state expenditure’.
Now, ANF, the national association of pharmacies, says the objective is to increase accessibility to methadone, in such a way that it helps the social reintegration of those that receive it.
ANF president Ema Paulino says the way forwards is to start in “some areas identified by ICAD as priorities” this year, and then progressively expand to the rest of the country over 2026.
Methadone is prescribed mainly by ICAD units as a substitute drug in the treatment of morphine/ heroin addictions.
Source: LUSA/ SIC
