ArticleSubstance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy2016
Patient perspectives of methadone formulation change in British Columbia, Canada: outcomes of a provincial survey.
Article in Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- A qualitative study of the impacts of a government crackdown against revenue sharing between pharmacies and patients in Vancouver, Canada.Discover public health · 2026Article
- "I still can feel the sickness": Withdrawal experiences of people on methadone maintenance treatment.Journal of substance use and addiction treatment · 2025Article
- The effect of a methadone reformulation on opioid agonist treatment outcomes: A population-based study in British Columbia, Canada, 2013-14.Journal of substance abuse treatment · 2022Article
- Towards cross-Canada monitoring of the unregulated street drug supply.BMC public health · 2021Article
- Article
- From methadone to Methadose: Lessons learned from methadone formulation change in British Columbia.Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2020Article
- Prevalence of Heavy Alcohol Use Among People Receiving Methadone Following Change to Methadose.Substance use & misuse · 2018Article
- Unintended impacts of regulatory changes to British Columbia Methadone Maintenance Program on addiction and HIV-related outcomes: An interrupted time series analysis.The International journal on drug policy · 2017Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn British Columbia, Canada, methadone maintenance treatment formulation transitioned from the oral liquid compound Tang™-flavoured methadone to the ten-times more concentrated cherry-flavoured Methadose™ in February 2014. We quantitatively describe perceptions and reported consequences among a sample of patients on methadone maintenance treatment following this transition.
methodsA province-wide survey was used. Bivariable analyses utilized independent samples t-tests, Phi associations, and Chi-square tests. Multivariable logistic regression analyses evaluated factors related to dependent variables - namely, increases in dose, pain, dope sickness, and the need to supplement with additional opioids.
resultsFour hundred five methadone maintenance treatment patients from fifty harm reduction sites across British Columbia reported transitioning to Methadose™ in February 2014. The majority (n = 258; 73.1 %) heard about the formulation change from their methadone provider or pharmacist. Adjusted models show worse taste was positively associated with reporting an increasing dose (OR = 2.46; CI:1.31-4.61), feeling more dope sick (OR = 3.39; CI:1.88-6.12), and worsening pain (OR = 4.65; CI:2.45-8.80). Feeling more dope sick was positively associated with dose increase (OR = 2.24; CI:1.37-3.66), and supplementing with opioids (OR = 8.81; CI:5.16-15.05).
conclusionsMethadone maintenance treatment policy changes in British Columbia affect a structurally vulnerable population who may be less able to cope with transitions and loss of autonomy. There may be a psychosocial component contributing to the perception of Methadose™ tasting worse, and increased dope sickness, pain, and dose. Our study shows the pronounced negative impacts medication changes can have on patients without informed, coordinated efforts. We stress the need to engage all stakeholders allowing for communication about the reasons, risks and consequences of medication policy changes and provision of additional psychosocial support.
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