Medical maintenance: a pilot study.

In a one year study, 130 methadone maintained subjects with a six month history of good treatment performance were assigned randomly to an experimental condition of one monthly non-random urine screen, one monthly counseling session, one monthly doctor visit, two times per month methadone pick up, a quarterly true random urine screen and participation in a diversion control program or to a control condition of staying under standard conditions for six months and then being transferred to the experimental condition for six months. Results of urine screens and scores on the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) at entrance and six month intervals showed no differences between groups. Three out of four subjects completed the year in good standing. Subject satisfaction was such that the IRB judged that return to standard conditions would be a hardship. Experimental conditions were cheaper such that resources freed up could be applied to the HIV epidemic.