Policy Advocacy Toolkit for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Drug Dependence 150 pages , pdf  Download Back

The human, economic, and social costs of opioid dependence have increased exponentially with the advent of HIV and AIDS. In several regions of the world, most notably Eastern Europe and Eurasia, the unsterile sharing of needles, works, and drugs related to injecting drug use is the principal driver of HIV transmission and puts drug users, their partners, and sexual networks at risk. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs are evidence-based drug treatment programs that result in drug users stopping drug use, changing risk behaviors, and reducing the risk of contracting or transmitting HIV. Most experts agree that the HIV epidemic in these countries cannot be contained without sustainable, widespread access to MAT and removal of barriers to MAT use.