Sir, - May I correct some facts pertaining to the letter (August 8th) from the chairman of the Irish Pharmaceutical Union concerning EURAD's policies. EURAD is not a new group, our inaugural meeting was held in Berlin in 1987 when we established an NGO representing the views of European parents and other experts as an independent body with Consultative Status to the Council of Europe and with representation on the Committee on Narcotics at the U.N. Office in Vienna. Our main policy is not as he stated: to discourage "the State-backed treatment of drug abusers" but to reduce the demand for drugs in the interest of the family and society. Neither do we advocate abstinence as the answer to drug addiction, but rather as the desired aim in drug treatment. We have never stated otherwise.
The recent event which he referred to incorrectly as our inaugural meeting was, in fact, an Information Briefing on "Harm Reduction". The invited speakers were experts in their field. Unethical practices around the use of methadone were in fact raised from the floor in response to the experiences shared by the speakers from Switzerland and The Netherlands. "Harm Reduction", or a safe use of toxic substances has shown a very low rate of success in rehabilitation. The figure stated was 10 per cent. The Irish Pharmaceutical Union, which is a highly responsible body, will I'm sure agree that its expertise does not stretch into the area of treatment and rehabilitation.
EURAD fully supports measures currently being undertaken by such treatment experts as Dr John O'Connor and his team in Trinity Court, The Rutland Centre, Coolemine etc. Supervised dispensing of methadone will only work if it is accompanied by careful urine screening to ensure that addicts are not polyabusing e.g. Rohypnol. Counselling and training in various skills must also be incorporated.
Research into drugs with a low potential for abuse must be encouraged. Lofexidine, currently in use in Trinity Court for heroin smokers, is such a drug. All of us in this field must give serious thought to the warnings of our State and County Coroner; drug abuse is not only a health care issue, it is a social, educational and legal issue. The question is, what kind of a society do we want? - Yours, etc.,
Grainne Kenny,
International Chairman, EURAD, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.