Published on: October 29, 2015

For many years, we have been trying to make methadone available for pain management in India. We had the paradoxical situation where this medicine was being manufactured for export to other countries while our own people were denied it. A few years back, it was approved for sale in India for treatment of drug dependence; but not for pain management. As morphine is currently the only oral opioid of step III of the analgesic ladder for pain management, we have had no second line opioid for those who do not tolerate morphine well. For all practical purposes, opioid switching was only a dream in India.

Things are looking up, however. On 27 October 2015, a subject expert committee meeting was held by Central Drug Standard Control Organization. Though the committee members had misgivings, Dr Sushma Bhatnagar was able to present the facts systematically, supported by documentary evidence, which has convinced them. The committee has recommended that the drug should be available for the management of persistent pain.