An editorial in the March 8, 2000, edition of The Journal of the American Medical Association states that following the Scottish example and allowing primary care physicians to dispense methadone "can provide a 3- to 5-fold increase in access. It can also reduce the cost per patient, although added access will clearly increase short-term substance abuse treatment costs while reducing long-term costs associated with overdose emergencies, HIV infection, and crime."
Source
Rounsaville, Bruce J., MD, and Kosten, Thomas R., MD, "Treatment for Opioid Dependence: Quality and Access", Journal of the American Medical Association, (Chicago, IL: American Medical Association, March 8, 2000), Vol. 283, No. 10, p. 1338.
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