Letters | Doctors must learn that addiction is a long-lasting illness

So this is where we are today (Breaking the cycle, July 27) Many (opiate addiction) patients are on Suboxone (buprenorphine) and doing well in treatment. The advantage of office-based treatment with a monthly prescription is, for many patients, truly an advantage over attending a methadone clinic. But the failure to realize the dangers of stopping treatment, methadone or buprenorphine, seems to be something of an epidemic problem.

August 16, 2011 4:48 pm

So this is where we are today (Breaking the cycle, July 27) Many (opiate addiction) patients are on Suboxone (buprenorphine) and doing well in treatment. The advantage of office-based treatment with a monthly prescription is, for many patients, truly an advantage over attending a methadone clinic.

But the failure to realize the dangers of stopping treatment, methadone or buprenorphine, seems to be something of an epidemic problem. Here, the doctor views the patient a “success” and is willing to stop treatment and risk the possible return to a life threatening addiction using street opiates.

It will take time and bitter disappointments for new doctors in the field to realize they are treating a chronic, long-lasting illness.

Dr. Phillip Paris

Pleasantville, New York