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Injection of buprenorphine and buprenorphine/naloxone tablets in Malaysia

Vicknasingam B, Mazlan M, Schottenfeld RS, Chawarski MC

Drug Alcohol Depend, 2010 Sep 1;111(1-2):44-9.
PMID: 20478668 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.03.014

Buprenorphine maintenance is efficacious for treating opioid dependence, but problems with diversion and misuse of buprenorphine (BUP) may limit its acceptability and dissemination. The buprenorphine/naloxone combination tablet (BNX) was developed to reduce potential problems with diversion and abuse. This paper provides data regarding the characteristics of BUP injection drug users in Malaysia and preliminary data regarding the impact of withdrawing BUP and introducing BNX. BUP was introduced in 2002 and subsequently withdrawn from the Malaysian market in 2006. BNX was introduced in 2007.
Behavioral drug and HIV risk reduction counseling (BDRC) with abstinence-contingent take-home buprenorphine: a pilot randomized clinical trial

Chawarski MC, Mazlan M, Schottenfeld RS

Drug Alcohol Depend, 2008 Apr 1;94(1-3):281-4.
PMID: 18164145 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.11.008

This pilot randomized clinical trial evaluated whether the efficacy of office-based buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT), provided with limited counseling or oversight of medication adherence is improved by the addition of individual drug counseling and abstinence-contingent take-home doses of buprenorphine. After a 2-week buprenorphine and stabilization period, heroin dependent individuals (n=24) in Muar, Malaysia were randomly assigned to Standard Services BMT (physician administered advice and support, and weekly, non-contingent medication pick-up) or Enhanced Services (nurse-delivered manual-guided behavioral drug and HIV risk reduction counseling (BDRC) and abstinence-contingent take-home buprenorphine (ACB), 7 day supply maximum). Outcomes included retention, proportion of opioid-negative urine tests, self-reported drug use, and self-reported HIV risk behaviors. 12/12 (100%) of Enhanced Services and 11/12 (92%) of Standard Services participants completed the entire protocol. The proportion of opioid-negative urine tests increased significantly over time for both groups (p<0.001), and the reductions were significantly greater in the Enhanced Services group (p<0.05); Enhanced Services group achieved higher overall proportions of opiate negative urine toxicology tests (87% vs. 69%, p=0.04) and longer periods of consecutive abstinence from opiates (10.3 weeks vs. 7.8 weeks, p=0.154). Both groups significantly reduced HIV risk behaviors during treatment (p<0.05), but the difference between Enhanced and Standard Services (26% vs. 17% reductions from the baseline levels, respectively) was not statistically significant (p=0.9). Manual-guided behavioral drug and HIV risk reduction counseling and abstinence-contingent take-home buprenorphine appear promising for adding to the efficacy of office-based BMT provided with limited drug counseling and medication oversight.
Fulltext Cost-effectiveness of buprenorphine and naltrexone treatments for heroin dependence in Malaysia

Ruger JP, Chawarski M, Mazlan M, Ng N, Schottenfeld R

PLoS One, 2012;7(12):e50673.
PMID: 23226534 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050673

AIMS: To aid public health policymaking, we studied the cost-effectiveness of buprenorphine, naltrexone, and placebo interventions for heroin dependence in Malaysia.
DESIGN: We estimated the cost-effectiveness ratios of three treatments for heroin dependence. We used a microcosting methodology to determine fixed, variable, and societal costs of each intervention. Cost data were collected from investigators, staff, and project records on the number and type of resources used and unit costs; societal costs for participants' time were estimated using Malaysia's minimum wage. Costs were estimated from a provider and societal perspective and reported in 2004 US dollars.
SETTING: Muar, Malaysia.
PARTICIPANTS: 126 patients enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in Malaysia (2003-2005) receiving counseling and buprenorphine, naltrexone, or placebo for treatment of heroin dependence.
MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome measures included days in treatment, maximum consecutive days of heroin abstinence, days to first heroin use, and days to heroin relapse. Secondary outcome measures included treatment retention, injection drug use, illicit opiate use, AIDS Risk Inventory total score, and drug risk and sex risk subscores.
FINDINGS: Buprenorphine was more effective and more costly than naltrexone for all primary and most secondary outcomes. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were below $50 for primary outcomes, mostly below $350 for secondary outcomes. Naltrexone was dominated by placebo for all secondary outcomes at almost all endpoints. Incremental treatment costs were driven mainly by medication costs, especially the price of buprenorphine.
CONCLUSIONS: Buprenorphine appears to be a cost-effective alternative to naltrexone that might enhance economic productivity and reduce drug use over a longer term.
Buprenorphine/naloxone treatment practices in Malaysia: Results of national surveys of physicians and patients

Vicknasingam B, Dazali MN, Singh D, Schottenfeld RS, Chawarski MC

Drug Alcohol Depend, 2015 Jul 1;152:164-9.
PMID: 25935736 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.04.007

Medication assisted treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone (Bup/Nx), including prescribing and dispensing practices of general practitioners (GPs) in Malaysia and their patients' experiences with this treatment have not been systematically examined. The current study surveyed GPs providing Bup/Nx treatment and patients receiving office-based Bup/Nx treatment in Malaysia.
Fulltext Substance abuse and the HIV situation in Malaysia

Singh D, Chawarski MC, Schottenfeld R, Vicknasingam B

J Food Drug Anal, 2013 Dec;21(4):S46-S51.
PMID: 25278737 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfda.2013.09.033

Heroin continues to be the main drug used in Malaysia, while amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) have been recently identified as a growing problem. A cumulative total of 300,241 drug users were detected between 1988 and 2006. It is also estimated that Malaysia has 170,000 injecting drug users. HIV prevalence among drug users in the country ranges from 25% to 45%. Currently, there are approximately 380 general medical practice offices that offer agonist maintenance treatments for approximately 10,000 patients. There are 27,756 active patients in 333 general medical practice offices and government-run methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) centers. The Needle Syringe Exchange Program (NSEP) reached out to 34,244 injection drug users (IDUs) in 2011. In the last 2 years (2011 and 2012) the number of detected drug addicts decreased from 11,194 to 9015. The arrests made by the police related to opiate and cannabis use increased from 41,363 to 63,466 between the years 2008 and 2010, but decreased since 2010. An almost four-fold increase in the number of ATS and ketamine users was detected from 2006 (21,653 users) 2012 (76,812). Between 2004 and 2010, the yearly seizures for heroin ranged between 156 to 270 kg. However, in 2010 and 2011, heroin seizures showed a significant increase of 445kg and 410.02 kg, respectively. There has been a seizure of between 600 to 1000kg of syabu yearly from 2009 to 2012. Similar to heroin, increased seizures for Yaba have also been observed over the last 2 years. A significant increase has also been recorded for the seizures of ecstasy pills from 2011 (47,761 pills) to 2012 (634,573 pills). The cumulative number of reported HIV infections since 1986 is 94,841. In 2011, sexual activity superseded injection drug use as the main transmission factor for the epidemic. HIV in the country mainly involves males, as they constitute 90% of cumulative HIV cases and a majority of those individuals are IDUs. However, HIV infection trends are shifting from males to females. There are 37,306 people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are eligible for treatment, and 14,002 PLHIV were receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in 2011. The decreasing trend of heroin users who have been detected and arrested could be due to the introduction of medical treatments and harm reduction approaches for drug users, resulting in fewer drug users being arrested. However, we are unable to say with certainty why there has been an increase in heroin seizures in the country. There has been an increasing trend in both ATS users and seizures. A new trend of co-occurring opiate dependence and ATS underscores the need to develop and implement effective treatments for ATS, co-occurring opiate and ATS, and polysubstance abuse disorders. The low numbers of NSEP clients being tested for HIV underscores our caution in interpreting the decline of HIV infections among drug users and the importance of focusing on providing education, prevention, treatment, and outreach to those who are not in treatment.
Fulltext Costs of addressing heroin addiction in Malaysia and 32 comparable countries worldwide

Ruger JP, Chawarski M, Mazlan M, Luekens C, Ng N, Schottenfeld R

Health Serv Res, 2012 Apr;47(2):865-87.
PMID: 22091732 DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01335.x

Develop and apply new costing methodologies to estimate costs of opioid dependence treatment in countries worldwide.
Fulltext To use or not to use: an update on licit and illicit ketamine use

Li JH, Vicknasingam B, Cheung YW, Zhou W, Nurhidayat AW, Jarlais DC, et al.

Subst Abuse Rehabil, 2011;2:11-20.
PMID: 24474851 DOI: 10.2147/SAR.S15458

Ketamine, a derivative of phencyclidine that was developed in the 1960s, is an anesthetic and analgesic with hallucinogenic effects. In this paper, the pharmacological and toxicological effects of ketamine are briefly reviewed. Ketamine possesses a wide safety margin but such a therapeutic benefit is somewhat offset by its emergence phenomenon (mind-body dissociation and delirium) and hallucinogenic effects. The increasing abuse of ketamine, initially predominantly in recreational scenes to experience a "k-hole" and other hallucinatory effects but more recently also as a drug abused during the workday or at home, has further pushed governments to confine its usage in many countries. Recently, urinary tract dysfunction has been associated with long-term ketamine use. In some long-term ketamine users, such damage can be irreversible and could result in renal failure and dialysis. Although ketamine has not yet been scheduled in the United Nations Conventions, previous studies using different assessment parameters to score the overall harms of drugs indicated that ketamine may cause more harm than some of the United Nations scheduled drugs. Some countries in Southeast and East Asia have reported an escalating situation of ketamine abuse. Dependence, lower urinary tract dysfunction, and sexual impulse or violence were the most notable among the ketamine-associated symptoms in these countries. These results implied that the danger of ketamine may have been underestimated previously. Therefore, the severity levels of the ketamine-associated problems should be scrutinized more carefully and objectively. To prevent ketamine from being improperly used and evolving into an epidemic, a thorough survey on the prevalence and characteristics of illicit ketamine use is imperative so that suitable policy and measures can be taken. On the other hand, recent findings that ketamine could be useful for treating major depressive disorder has given this old drug a new impetus. If ketamine is indeed a remedy for treating depression, more research on the risks and benefits of its clinical use will be indispensable.