addictive - modifying: agonist: ethical Flashcards
(2 cards)
side effects and overdose
P: One ethical issue with using methadone is the potential for serious side effects and overdose, especially when combined with other substances.
E: Methadone can interact with substances like alcohol and antidepressants, causing respiratory issues and potentially leading to life-threatening complications. The Office for National Statistics reported that methadone was linked to 429 deaths in the UK in 2013, underscoring the risk of fatal overdose if not properly managed.
T: These risks raise ethical concerns about patient safety, as individuals seeking treatment for addiction may be exposed to significant health hazards, particularly if not closely monitored. The risk of fatal side effects can be seen as ethically questionable, as it may put vulnerable patients in harm’s way rather than providing them with safe recovery options.
C: However, it is far safer than allowing patients to continue opioid addictions and risk contradicting diseases related to needle exchange such as HIV
dependancy and long term use
P: One ethical concern is methadone treatment may replace one addiction with another, as many individuals remain on methadone for prolonged periods without achieving full recovery.
E: Critics argue that methadone merely substitutes one substance for another, and without adequate support, patients often fail to transition to detoxification and abstinence stages. This can lead to long-term dependency on methadone, prolonging a cycle of addiction rather than truly addressing it.
T: Therefore by keeping patients on a drug indefinitely, it can be seen as failing to provide genuine recovery opportunities, as it may trap individuals in a dependency cycle that benefits treatment providers financially rather than supporting full rehabilitation. This also takes away the right to withdraw from treatments as participants become over dependent on methadone, further highlighting how unethical this treatment is
C: However, these programmes are highly accessible and easy to follow as they require minimal commitment. It can help addicts detach from drug culture, and put them in a better place in order to deal with abstinence
