Had Al Fowler known more about his rights before enrolling in British Columbia香蕉视频直播檚 methadone treatment program in 2010, he may have avoided what he describes as a two-year 香蕉视频直播渉orror-show香蕉视频直播� while living in Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 Downtown Eastside.
Fowler says the stigma and exploitation he experienced is part of what inspired him to co-author a handbook on how to navigate the province香蕉视频直播檚 opioid-substitution therapy program.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 really important that we get this out from our point of view, how we see it, how it is to us, because that香蕉视频直播檚 how the guy who香蕉视频直播檚 going in to the clinic is going to see it,香蕉视频直播� said Fowler, president of the B.C. Association for People on Methadone, who has been in the program for seven years.
香蕉视频直播淧art of this booklet was to help people navigate that, to let them know that they have rights, because it香蕉视频直播檚 just another medication 香蕉视频直播� and we shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be penalized for that.香蕉视频直播�
The 43-page booklet, titled Patients Helping Patients Understand Opioid-Substitution Therapy, was co-ordinated by the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C and funded by the provincial Health Ministry. It is scheduled for release next week but is available on the centre香蕉视频直播檚 website.
Annual meetings that were started by the government in 2013 led to the creation of the handbook, which taps into the experiences of the seven people who wrote the guide.
Co-author Garth Mullins said the team wanted to ensure the handbook had a 香蕉视频直播渟treet-level perspective香蕉视频直播� and provided the 香蕉视频直播渦nvarnished truth香蕉视频直播� behind the program.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not trying to give people a sales pitch,香蕉视频直播� Mullins said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 trying to give people the straight goods on what it is like to try and get yourself out of the hole of addiction.香蕉视频直播�
Marginalized people are often left on their own to figure out a 香蕉视频直播渧ery cumbersome and bureaucratic香蕉视频直播� process, Mullins added.
The booklet comes with a glossary of terms used in treatment. Sections of it also deal with taking methadone during pregnancy, travelling while on treatment and the challenge of getting medication while in jail or in hospital.
Dan Reist, an assistant director at the addictions research centre, said the organization provided a support role and left most of the content creation to the authors.
It香蕉视频直播檚 important that doctors, pharmacists and policy-makers embrace the handbook so it reaches as many people as possible, Reist said.
香蕉视频直播淲e need the system to see this as a resource that has value,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 why it香蕉视频直播檚 important that we not poke them 芒鈧� but at the same time hold their feet to the fire.香蕉视频直播�
The handbook cost about $15,000 to produce, which included paying the co-authors for their time but does not cover its distribution to places like pharmacies and doctors香蕉视频直播� offices, he added.
He believes the handbook is one of the world香蕉视频直播檚 first. The only similar one Reist could find was in New Zealand.
Reist and others involved in the project saw it as part of a larger push to include patients香蕉视频直播� voices in the development of programs and policies.
香蕉视频直播淗ealth is not about experts fixing broken people,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Bill Nelles, a retired addiction counsellor based on Vancouver Island, said the handbook attempts to show the provincial government that people in drug-recovery programs want to be involved in matters that concern them.
香蕉视频直播淵ou may have heard, 香蕉视频直播楴othing about us without us,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� said Nelles, who has been on a methadone program for 40 years. 香蕉视频直播淏ut we香蕉视频直播檙e not there yet.香蕉视频直播�
Mullins said those in methadone recovery dream of the day they help inform policy and budgetary decisions.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 tired of seeing people die from bad drug policy, as much as from bad drugs,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭oday we香蕉视频直播檙e writing the manual. Tomorrow I hope we香蕉视频直播檙e writing the legislation.香蕉视频直播�
Geordon Omand, The Canadian Press
