Medical body cautions against project to fight drug addictions
By CAMILLE BAINS
The Canadian Press
Doctors who participate in a proposed project aimed at fighting drug addiction among cocaine and crystal meth users may not be equipped to help the vulnerable population, says a spokesman for the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Morris Van Andel, registrar of the college, said Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivans recent announcement about a research trial to substitute prescription drugs for illegal street drugs is more hype than reality.
"Currently, were talking ideal, were not talking real," Van Andel said of the Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment research project, or InnerChange.
Sullivan has said the project could be launched in the fall. Its already being lauded by former drug addicts, and Sullivan has said it would reduce crime by those looking for money to score drugs.
Van Andel said that while he hopes the project will benefit addicts, the college has concerns.
"We have raised some questions and we continue to have questions, which may have suitable answers but which so far have not been answered.
"The suggestion is that the college would say, This is wonderful, go for it, and we are not prepared to say that," Van Andel said. "From our point of view, the physicians who are involved in that should be knowledgeable. The assumption that every physician can prescribe a substitution drug to someone who is significantly addicted to crystal meth is a farce."
Unlike Vancouvers safe injection site, the research trial wont need an exemption from Health Canada to proceed because legal prescription drugs will be used.
But the federal government will still need to approve the clinical trial itself.
Dr. Peter Selby, clinical director of the addictions program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, said Canada has a shortage of doctors who are trained to deal with addiction.
"Its not that physicians are falling over themselves to come and get trained in this area," Selby said.
The Toronto-based facility is the only place in the country where physicians can learn to deal with the issue through a one- to two-year program, he said.
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