40 dependent opiate users face life without treatment

The situation faced by the 40 s8 patients of Dr Henry Pang continues to be desperate. There has been no action from the government to date, except that patients have been told to be assessed for buprenorphine withdrawal through the hospital.

One of the other patients has been taken on by another GP, who is forcing the women to reduce her dose.

The pending release of the Ministerial Taskforce on Illicit Drugs Report is the only possible light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, the health minister has already told the media that the funding may not be available for all of the recommendations of the taskforce.

Despite this, $800,000 has just been allocated to the NT police to tap the phones of "drug dealers."

Drug user activists are extremely alarmed at the prospect that Labor won't be living up to their election promise of the full range of pharmacotherapies for dependent users being made available.

NAP spokesperson Gary Meyerhoff said “We are extremely concerned that Doctor Pang's 40 patients will be without medication after the 2nd of August when their last prescription from Dr Pang will run out.”

“We urge the NT Government to step in and re-instate Dr Pang’s s8 license immediately. This will enable him to service his 40 patients and give them some more time before the NT Government establishes an adequate level of treatment and care to these people.”

NAP has complained to the Medical Board NT about the conduct of the Chief Health Officer, who prohibited Dr Pang from prescribing schedule 9 drugs. This complaint is expected to be mentioned at the Board’s Wednesday meeting.

For further information, contact Gary on 0415 16 2525 or see http://napnt.tripod.com