Guidelines for the management of methadone medication in Vietnam

Guidelines for the management of methadone medication in Vietnam

Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT provides guidelines for the management of methadone medication, including the distribution and receipt of methadone, prescription and dispensing of methadone, and the management of records, monitoring, and reporting of methadone medication in the treatment of drug addiction.

The regulations for the distribution and receipt of methadone are as follows:

- The distribution and receipt of methadone between pharmaceutical establishments and substitution treatment facilities shall be carried out in accordance with Article 45 of Decree No. 54/2017/NĐ-CP.

A record of the distribution and receipt of methadone shall be prepared in 3 copies: 1 copy shall be kept at the substitution treatment facility, 1 copy shall be kept at the pharmaceutical establishment, and 1 copy shall be sent to the Ministry of Health (Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control) for methadone medication under the management authority of the Ministry of Health or to the designated unit responsible for purchasing and distributing methadone medication under the management authority of the provincial or municipal Department of Health (hereinafter referred to as the Department of Health).

- The distribution and receipt of methadone between substitution treatment facilities and dispensing facilities shall be carried out in accordance with Article 7 of Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT.

The staff responsible for managing the medication storage of the substitution treatment facility and the dispensing facility shall record the information of the received methadone medication in the record book for the import, export, and inventory of addictive drugs, psychotropic drugs, precursor substances, addictive drug substances, psychotropic drug substances, and substances used as precursors for medication (hereinafter referred to as the medication storage record book) in accordance with the regulations in Appendix VIII issued with Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT.

Records and monitoring of methadone medication management

- For substitution treatment facilities:

(1) Methadone prescriptions as prescribed in Appendix II issued with Circular 04/2022/TT-BYT;

(2) Medication storage record book as prescribed in Appendix VIII issued with Circular 20/2017/TT-BYT;

(3) Daily record book for the distribution and receipt of methadone medication according to Form 01 prescribed in the Appendix issued with Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT;

(4) Daily record book for the dispensing of methadone medication according to Form 02 prescribed in the Appendix issued with Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT;

(5) Methadone treatment monitoring form according to Form 03 prescribed in the Appendix issued with Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT;

(6) Report on the usage, inventory, and projected demand for methadone medication according to Form 11 prescribed in the Appendix issued with Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT.

- For dispensing facilities:

- Report on the usage, inventory, and projected demand for methadone medication for the dispensing facility according to Form 12 prescribed in the Appendix issued with Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT;

- Preparation and recording of records and books in accordance with the regulations in points b, c, d, and clause 1 of Article 10 of Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT.

Circular 26/2023/TT-BYT shall take effect on March 15, 2024.

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