Open AccessMethadone is now available in India: Is the long battle over?
Author(s) -
Rajagopal Rajagopal
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
indian journal of palliative care/indian journal of palliative care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.395
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1998-3735
pISSN - 0973-1075
DOI - 10.4103/ijpc.ijpc_201_17
Subject(s) - medicine , methadone , palliative care , battle , opioid , pharmacy , pain relief , fentanyl , health care , intensive care medicine , medical emergency , nursing , psychiatry , pharmacology , anesthesia , law , political science , receptor , archaeology , history
Morphine and fentanyl had so far been the only available opioids in India in step three of the World Health Organization analgesic ladder. Especially for those not tolerating morphine and particularly for those developing neurotoxicity, an inexpensive alternative was essential. Many years of advocacy by palliative care activists have resulted in methadone being now available for sale in India for pain management. However, the characteristic pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methadone raise potential issues of safety.