[STIGMA AND MISINFORMATION ABOUT METHADONE MAINTENANCE THERAPY].

Opioids play a key role in managing acute and chronic pain, but at the same time, opioid abuse is a socio-economic and health problem that has been expanding over the past three decades, causing a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Methadone maintenance therapy is the most effective treatment choice (combined with psychosocial therapy) for opioid addiction. However, only a small proportion of people with opioid addiction turn to this treatment. In addition, patients applying for methadone maintenance treatment do so with great delay, after 10 and even 20 years of addiction. A possible explanation for this phenomenon discussed in the medical literature is stigma and misinformation about methadone maintenance therapy in patients with substance use disorder, society, family of patients, and healthcare professionals.