Methadon Maintenance treatMent prograMs in hungary: treatMent, harM reduction and social control

summary there are three drug policy strategies for methadone maintenance treatment programmes: treatment, harm reduction and social control. in this study we examine the hungarian methadone maintenance treatment programme. our objective is to arrive at recommendation that can also be applied to other countries in central and eastern europe, where these types of treatment do not currently exist. patients and experts from all eight hungarian clinics performing maintenance treatments were included in the research. the patients’ group was made up of 150 individuals, and the group of experts consisted of two professionals from each of the treatment facilities. on the basis of our research observations we recommend the “opening up” of the maintenance system, as well as an approach that accords with the principles of treatment and harm reduction. these conclusions can be applied to other countries in the region, which had similar historical, political and professional policy factors in the past.