Journal of Medical Council of Iran
Volume 44, Issue 2 (2026)
jmciri 2026, 44(2): 73-76 |
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Laripour Herat R, Charkhgard N, Rad P. The Necessity of Preserving and Advancing the Integrated Addiction Treatment and Harm Reduction System in Iran: A Look Toward the Future of the Healthcare System. jmciri 2026; 44 (2) :73-76
URL: http://jmciri.ir/article-1-3460-en.html
URL: http://jmciri.ir/article-1-3460-en.html
Medical Education, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (4 Views)
Over the past two decades, Iran has achieved considerable progress in reducing the health and social consequences of substance abuse. Compared with many countries in the region, it has been relatively successful in controlling blood borne infections among people who inject drugs. This achievement has largely resulted from coherent public health policies and the expansion of a nationwide network of substance abuse treatment centers. Experience has shown that effective addiction treatment depends not only on pharmacotherapy, but also on integrating medication with clinical, psychological, and social services delivered through these centers.
Addiction is widely recognized as a chronic relapsing disorder, and treatment does not necessarily imply complete elimination of the disease. Rather, the primary goals are to reduce its severity and consequences, minimize high risk behaviors, and improve social functioning. Within this framework, opioid agonist maintenance treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine, combined with psychosocial interventions, reduce craving and stabilize patients’ biological and behavioral conditions, enabling them to achieve a more stable and functional life. Studies in Iran have shown that expanding these treatments, together with harm reduction measures such as sterile syringe distribution, drop in centers, and integration of HIV prevention with addiction treatment, has significantly reduced high risk injecting behaviors and helped control HIV transmission among people who use drugs.
A key strategy for improving service quality and efficiency is the implementation of center stratification and a stepped-care model. In this approach, services are organized according to disorder severity, comorbidities, and patients’ biological, psychological, and social needs. Such a structure promotes specialization, closer monitoring, and more effective referral pathways while facilitating the gradual expansion of pharmacological options and the controlled introduction of specialized therapies.
Overall, Iran’s experience demonstrates that successful addiction management relies on an integrated model combining pharmacotherapy, psychosocial services, and health monitoring within treatment centers. Weakening these centers or fragmenting the treatment continuum may undermine treatment effectiveness and jeopardize public health achievements.
Addiction is widely recognized as a chronic relapsing disorder, and treatment does not necessarily imply complete elimination of the disease. Rather, the primary goals are to reduce its severity and consequences, minimize high risk behaviors, and improve social functioning. Within this framework, opioid agonist maintenance treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine, combined with psychosocial interventions, reduce craving and stabilize patients’ biological and behavioral conditions, enabling them to achieve a more stable and functional life. Studies in Iran have shown that expanding these treatments, together with harm reduction measures such as sterile syringe distribution, drop in centers, and integration of HIV prevention with addiction treatment, has significantly reduced high risk injecting behaviors and helped control HIV transmission among people who use drugs.
A key strategy for improving service quality and efficiency is the implementation of center stratification and a stepped-care model. In this approach, services are organized according to disorder severity, comorbidities, and patients’ biological, psychological, and social needs. Such a structure promotes specialization, closer monitoring, and more effective referral pathways while facilitating the gradual expansion of pharmacological options and the controlled introduction of specialized therapies.
Overall, Iran’s experience demonstrates that successful addiction management relies on an integrated model combining pharmacotherapy, psychosocial services, and health monitoring within treatment centers. Weakening these centers or fragmenting the treatment continuum may undermine treatment effectiveness and jeopardize public health achievements.
Type of Study: Letter to Editor |
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