A randomized control trial of group counseling in a naltrexone treatment program.

This study evaluated the additional effectiveness of a 12-week manualized group counseling program over a structured naltrexone treatment program. The randomized controlled trial, the first of its kind in Australia, was conducted at Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Ninety-seven participants received a 50 mg dose of naltrexone daily and were randomized to either the experimental (n = 52) or control (n = 45) conditions.

Naltrexone maintenance for heroin dependence: uptake, attrition and retention.

With naltrexone registered only recently in Australia in 1999, it is important to examine the rate of uptake of naltrexone treatment, early attrition and retention rates during treatment, in order to inform the way naltrexone is used in Australian practice. Of 317 people screened for the study, 97 participants were recruited post-withdrawal from opiates and were inducted to naltrexone after a period of at least 5 days of abstinence. While in treatment, participants received a 50-mg dose of naltrexone daily, with daily dispensing for the first 7 days, and weekly dispensing for the following 11 weeks.

Randomized controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention for reducing hepatitis C virus risk practices among injecting drug users.

Aim: To develop and evaluate a brief intervention for reducing risk behaviours associated with HCV transmission in injecting drug users (IDU).

Design: Randomized controlled trial of an individually tailored brief behavioural intervention (BBI) (experimental) versus a standardized educational intervention (control).

Setting: Specialist drug treatment facility in Melbourne, Australia.