http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml#i programme the invetigation was broadcast tonight 8 pm

Hopefully this link goes straight to the prog?:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/theinvestigation/pip/kq1rp/

yes it does Jude, thanks

I heard the programme Susi, but on following the link it had gone. Do you really think there is any mileage in heroin self administration? I tasked my patients with this question - would you rather have methadone or heroin ? They invariably replied that they had no veins in which to inject. i wonder how the Swiss and the Dutch got on with this scenario?

Whatever next.... alcohol to the alcoholics perhaps? ( Not a cynic usually ) Unfortuantely couldnt get to the link to hear both sides but will certainly try again.

Its not universally know Rita but a proportion of patients have been receiving diamorphine/heroin for their heroin dependency ever since the Rolleston report in 1926. At the moment there are about 4-500 people on such prescriptions. The argument is really whether to roll this out to a wider group as in Switzerland and Holland. One of the main problems is the cost (massively more expensive). Until the 1960s nearlly everone received heroin until methadone was introduced.

In terms of alcohol for alcoholics. Dr John Marx (who I don't often quote) once said quite perceptively that he'd have been quite happy to prescribe top quality scotch to alcoholics during prohibition in the US. It bsically sums up our dilemma, are we prescribing to medically treat a dependency or to offset the effects of prohibition.

Unfortunately you can no longer hear the programme but there is still a write up there. I was interested in particular some of the names speaking out against it.

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