Initialization of Methadone in Primary Care, Randomized Intervention Research for Preventing HCV Transmission Practices

Summary

The rapid scale up of opioid substitution treatment (OST) for drug users mainly achieved through the possibility of prescribing buprenorphine in primary care has been successful in reducing HIV prevalence among drug users but still inadequate for reducing the spread of HCV. To date, methadone in France can only be initialised in drug centres but GPs can prescribe methadone after stabilisation of dosages. This study was born as an answer to a request from the French Minister of Health that supports the initialisation of methadone in primary care in order to improve coverage by OST (now 70%) in drug users.

Timeline

Start

2009-01

Primary completion

2011-12

Completion

2011-12

Publications

• Perry D, Kirkwood JE, Doroshuk ML, Kelmer M, Korownyk CS, Ton J, Garrison SR. Opioid agonist therapy for opioid use disorder in primary versus specialty care. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 Sep 8;9(9):CD013672. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013672.pub2.
• Carrieri P, Vilotitch A, Nordmann S, Lions C, Michel L, Mora M, Morel A, Maradan G, Spire B, Roux P; Methaville Study Group. Decrease in self-reported offences and incarceration rates during methadone treatment: A comparison between patients switching from buprenorphine to methadone and maintenance treatment incident users (ANRS-Methaville trial). Int J Drug Policy. 2017 Jan;39:86-91. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.08.005. Epub 2016 Oct 19.
• Roux P, Lions C, Vilotitch A, Michel L, Mora M, Maradan G, Marcellin F, Spire B, Morel A, Carrieri PM; ANRS Methaville study group. Correlates of cocaine use during methadone treatment: implications for screening and clinical management (ANRS Methaville study). Harm Reduct J. 2016 Apr 5;13:12. doi: 10.1186/s12954-016-0100-7.
• Carrieri PM, Michel L, Lions C, Cohen J, Vray M, Mora M, Marcellin F, Spire B, Morel A, Roux P; Methaville Study Group. Methadone induction in primary care for opioid dependence: a pragmatic randomized trial (ANRS Methaville). PLoS One. 2014 Nov 13;9(11):e112328. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112328. eCollection 2014.
• Roux P, Lions C, Michel L, Mora M, Daulouede JP, Marcellin F, Spire B, Morel A, Carrieri PM; ANRS Methaville study group. Factors associated with HCV risk practices in methadone-maintained patients: the importance of considering the couple in prevention interventions. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2014 Sep 10;9:37. doi: 10.1186/1747-597X-9-37.
• Lions C, Carrieri MP, Michel L, Mora M, Marcellin F, Morel A, Spire B, Roux P; Methaville Study Group. Predictors of non-prescribed opioid use after one year of methadone treatment: an attributable-risk approach (ANRS-Methaville trial). Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014 Feb 1;135:1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.10.018. Epub 2013 Oct 31.
• Roux P, Michel L, Cohen J, Mora M, Morel A, Aubertin JF, Desenclos JC, Spire B, Carrieri PM; ANRS Methaville Study Group. Methadone induction in primary care (ANRS-Methaville): a phase III randomized intervention trial. BMC Public Health. 2012 Jun 28;12:488. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-488.

Drugs

Indications