Around two years ago, Mazen Hussein (a pseudonym) discovered that he had contracted pulmonary fibrosis after experiencing a significant decline in respiratory function due to his heroin addiction, which had lasted for several years. At that time, his life seemed to be slipping away. However, the opening of harm reduction units in Egypt in March 2023, and the start of the opioid substitution treatment program (methadone) at the General Secretariat for Mental Health Hospitals, gave him new hope for life and recovery from addiction.
After enrolling in the methadone treatment program at the Harm Reduction Unit at Tanta Mental Health Hospital, which provides a long-acting opioid used to treat opioid addiction such as heroin and to relieve severe pain, he began to feel better both physically and mentally. His social and professional life began to improve. However, the methadone shortage crisis, which affected patients enrolled in the program from early April to the first week of May, completely disrupted his life. The reduction in doses, followed by the shift to the Egyptian alternative, “Methadensi,” produced by the Egyptian International Pharmaceutical Industries (EIPICO), caused him to suffer withdrawal symptoms and both psychological and physical side effects.
He tells Zawia3: “As patients, we filed complaints because we were forced to receive a dose of methadone every two days, instead of our daily doses. A delegation from the Public Prosecution, a security agency, and the General Secretariat for Mental Health came to Tanta Mental Health Hospital on May 6. Reports of case evidence were filed against the doctors, and they were accused of neglecting the patients. The entire medical team in the harm reduction unit was replaced, and the imported methadone arrived at the hospital. However, the treatment became very cold and doctors became very strict with us regarding random drug tests, without considering any personal emergencies.”
But the situation didn’t stop there; Mazen shares that the General Secretariat for Mental Health sent the hospital nine-strip urine test kits about two weeks ago to conduct drug tests on all addiction patients enrolled in the program, numbering between 150 and 170 patients. The shock came when all the results tested positive for ketamine. He explains that at first, the hospital treated the issue as if the patients were using the drug, and when the same result kept appearing, doctors asked them to ignore it and pretend it didn’t happen.
He adds: “I had previously worked in a private rehab center, and I was responsible for people using cocaine in a full ‘detox’ unit. It’s impossible for around 200 test strips to all show ketamine for 200 patients, then they tell us that the test strips are defective only for ketamine. If the strips were defective, we would find one strip defective for ketamine, another for hashish, another for ice, or some mixed substances—not just one specific drug. The issue didn’t only appear in our facility but in other hospitals since the beginning of April until today.”
He continues: “At the end of April, tests were conducted on everyone, nine-strip tests, in most mental health hospitals in Cairo and in Sohag Hospital. The results for all individuals, without exception, were positive for ketamine, as reported by our colleagues in the methadone treatment program. Those who tested positive for ketamine and another drug were expelled from the program and denied treatment, while those who only had ketamine in their results remained in the program.”
These results have raised widespread concerns among patients at harm reduction units, as ketamine is a hallucinogenic drug that causes distorted perception of sight and sound, feelings of detachment, and loss of control. Long-term addiction to ketamine can lead to lasting changes in brain function and causes other side effects such as fatigue, depression, excessive sweating, anger episodes, lower urinary tract problems, and increased sexual desire or violence.
While Mazen experiences both psychological and physical side effects, including sudden naps, temporary detachment from reality, hallucinations, irritability, shaking, chills, electric sensations in his body, and damage to his bladder and urinary system, he believes there is a connection between the methadone doses he and his colleagues received and the appearance of ketamine in the drug tests they underwent over the past two weeks. He suggests that these doses caused the sudden symptoms, pointing out that he and his colleagues had been receiving imported methadone from Epitadone, which is supposed to be colorless or light yellow, but the drug they received since the first week of May had a blue color. This was confirmed by several patients at harm reduction units in Abbassia, Cairo Airport, Tanta in Gharbia, Damira in Dakahlia, and Azazi in Sharqia, as reported to Zawia3.
The patient further shares that about a week ago, the treatment with this drug was stopped at Tanta Mental Health Hospital, and patients were forced to switch to the Egyptian “Methadensi” drug. However, he feels its effect and efficacy are weaker, which caused him to experience withdrawal symptoms about two hours after taking the light blue-colored solution. Mazen’s account matches the reports from other patients in harm reduction units at Tanta, Damira, and Azazi mental health hospitals. Meanwhile, our sources at Abbassia, Khanka, and Cairo Airport mental health hospitals have stated that they are still receiving doses of imported Italian methadone, which is blue in color.
Zawia3 had previously documented in an investigation titled “No Dose, No Relief: Egypt’s Methadone Shortage Hits Patients Hard,” published on May 16, the suffering of thousands of patients enrolled in harm reduction units at mental health hospitals after the imported methadone was discontinued and replaced with the Egyptian “Methadensi” produced by the pharmaceutical company EIPICO. This shift led them to experience severe withdrawal symptoms, including shortness of breath, severe headaches, body pains, crying, low blood pressure, suicidal tendencies, and relapses that prompted many to return to drug use. This, in turn, caused family and social crises, with reports of deaths, though no official confirmation has been made. Amidst the crisis, participants in the program were shocked to find themselves undergoing surprise drug tests. Anyone who tested positive was immediately expelled from the program, without considering the withdrawal conditions or reasons for relapse. In early May, those expelled were readmitted after being informed that the Ministry of Health had provided a new shipment of methadone at its own expense, but at lower doses ranging from 1 to 3 centimeters per day, amounts that, according to the patients, were insufficient to alleviate the severe physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms they continued to experience.
Don’t miss: No Dose, No Relief: Egypt’s Methadone Shortage Hits Patients Hard
Withdrawal and Decreased Effectiveness of the Medication
Since he was 14 years old, Ayman El-Sharkawy (a pseudonym) has been trapped in the cycle of addiction, starting with tramadol use to imitate his older brother. A few years later, he became addicted to heroin, then fentanyl patches—an opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain. After seven years of addiction, the opening of harm reduction units allowed him to enroll in the methadone treatment program, which greatly improved his life. His brother also joined the program later, and their lives improved. However, both of them suffered from psychological and physical complications and withdrawal symptoms when the methadone crisis occurred in April. When they were switched to “Methadensi,” the Egyptian alternative, they felt a significant decrease in the doses, according to what Ayman tells Zawia3.
Ayman, enrolled in the harm reduction unit at Damira Mental Health Hospital in Dakahlia, explains that in early May, the crisis was temporarily resolved when imported methadone was provided, and patients felt better. However, just a week ago, they were switched back to the Egyptian “Methadensi” drug, and they were told that this decision would be applied to all mental health hospitals across Egypt. He confirms that the decision was implemented in Damira, Tanta, Sharqia, Azazi, and New Damietta hospitals, and would soon be implemented in Abbassia and Cairo Airport hospitals. Ayman points out another issue related to the transfer between hospitals, as some hospitals provide the Italian drug while others give the Egyptian one, which has caused problems in transfers to avoid complications arising from the difference in the drug’s potency.
He says to Zawia3: “The doctors told us it’s the same drug, so why are you upset? But the effectiveness of the new drug is much lower. We feel exhausted; it’s as if our doses have been reduced by 50%. We faced the same withdrawal symptoms that come from the decreased potency of an opioid drug, including feeling cold, diarrhea, body pain, irritability, mood swings, and seeing everything in a negative light… The opioid withdrawal symptoms that we enrolled in the program to get rid of have come back.”
Ayman reveals that he filed a complaint with the General Secretariat for Mental Health, which led to an increase in his dose by 10 milligrams. However, he still needed an additional 40-50 milligrams. He continued submitting complaints to the hospital’s Patient Rights Committee, the General Secretariat for Mental Health, and Dr. Raghda El-Gamil, the Director of Addiction Treatment, leading to gradual dose increases for patients at Damira Hospital. However, he believes Dr. El-Gamil thinks patients are just pretending to suffer from withdrawal symptoms after using “Methadensi” but isn’t convinced this is the reality.
He adds: “Recently, we received urine test strips that detect nine types of drugs, and it appears there is a malfunction in the ketamine section, as almost all results show positive for ketamine. Two doctors at the harm reduction clinic at Damira Mental Health Hospital even tested it on themselves, and the result was positive for ketamine. Some patients were expelled in April, especially at Abbassia Hospital, where around 100 patients were expelled after a comprehensive test showed positive results for ketamine. Later, it turned out that the results were incorrect, and recently, doctors began realizing that the tests were faulty. Now, when a ketamine result is positive at Damira, they simply ignore it.”
In response to the methadone crisis, on May 7, the Ministry of Health and Population relieved Dr. Mnen Abdel-Maksoud from her position as the Secretary General of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment. On May 9, the Secretariat announced the appointment of Dr. Wisam Abu El-Fotouh as the head of the Central Administration for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment. According to the information available on the official website of the Secretariat, Dr. Wisam Abu El-Fotouh Ibrahim is a medical specialist, a member of the Addiction Treatment Department, and a supervisor of the psychological support team and the mental health hotline. She was the head of the Addiction Department at the Benha Mental Health Hospital from 2013 to 2018 and served as the head of the Patient Rights Committee at Benha Mental Health Hospital from 2011 to 2018.
Don’t miss: Drug Testing: A Tool for Unfair Employee Dismissals in Egypt
Exceeding National Protocols and International Standards
In a related context, an urgent report directed to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna revealed a humanitarian and medical crisis in Egypt. Thousands of addiction patients undergoing opioid substitution therapy with methadone in harm reduction units are facing life-threatening conditions. This comes just two weeks after the Egyptian delegation praised the success of the methadone treatment programs in Egypt on March 14, 2025, during the 68th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna. The program collapsed unexpectedly, and patients across the country were suddenly informed, starting from April 1, that the imported and UN-approved methadone had expired, and that there was a shortage of supplies. No emergency plan was announced, nor was any official statement issued regarding the crisis. The report confirms clear violations of both the national methadone treatment protocols in Egypt and the international treaties and standards that govern drug policies and harm reduction.
The report, which Zawia3 obtained a copy of, outlines the violations, including the sudden shift to a locally-produced substance called “Methadensi.” This local product was recently approved by the Egyptian Drug Authority but has not been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations, or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Patients were forced to reduce their doses without clinical evaluation or consent. This led to a huge and sudden increase in withdrawal symptoms, relapses, and hospital admissions, causing severe disruption and instability in the lives of all patients. By late April, mandatory urine tests in hospitals showed that the majority of patients tested positive for illicit substances, with all test results confirming the presence of ketamine. This raised suspicions about the locally-produced drug received by patients. As a result, many patients were expelled from the program and permanently denied access to treatment due to a single relapse, a punitive measure that contradicts both the national protocols and international standards for opioid dependency treatment.
The report indicates that patients whose drug tests only showed the presence of ketamine were not considered to be relapsing and were not expelled from the program. However, the patients who were expelled were not even allowed to undergo a safe withdrawal process, and their prescribed methadone doses were abruptly cut off. On May 1, patients were informed that the imported methadone had returned, but the product was unusual, differing from the usual type imported through the United Nations. The patients were restricted to standardized doses (1–4 ml), without regard to their individual clinical needs, which constitutes a violation of international standards and clinical treatment guidelines.
Since April, harm reduction units at mental health hospitals in Egypt have violated the national clinical guidelines for pharmacological-assisted treatment for opioid dependence, which were established in June 2022. These guidelines were endorsed by a group of senior officials and experts in psychiatry and addiction treatment in Egypt, including Ahmed Okasha, Professor of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, President of the Egyptian Psychiatric Association, and the Presidential Advisor for Mental Health and Social Cohesion to the President of the Republic; Ihab El-Baz, Consultant Psychiatrist and Addiction Specialist, and faculty member at the Military Medical Academy; Raghda El-Gamil, Director of the General Administration for Addiction Treatment at the General Secretariat for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, and the official supervisor of the national methadone protocol in Egypt; Dr. Moataz Abdel Wahab, Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction Treatment, and former President of the General Secretariat for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment; Heba Abdel Qawi El-Sayed, Director of the National HIV/AIDS Program, Ministry of Health and Population, along with 14 other academics and experts.
United Nations reports have confirmed that opioid substitution therapy (OST), particularly methadone, is partially funded in Egypt by UNODC and its international partners, especially in terms of infrastructure and drug supply. However, the reports did not disclose the size of the funding, nor did they indicate the number of harm reduction units actually supported or the quantities of methadone provided. Furthermore, the reports did not specify whether the funding covers the sustainable operation of these centers or if it only covers the establishment and preparation stages. The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with UNAIDS, has provided training for staff and integrated medical protocols.
The report issued by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in August 2024, titled “Towards HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care, and Drug Control in Egypt: Reflections on the Impact,” made explicit references to supporting opioid substitution therapy (OST) in Egypt, including methadone treatment. The report stated that the UN Office provided the related drug, “methadone,” and supported the enhancement of the infrastructure for opioid substitution treatment centers by providing the necessary equipment and electronics. The report further notes that the public funding for harm reduction efforts in Egypt comes from Germany (the main funding source), as well as from partners such as Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, the Drosos Foundation, and the UNAIDS program.
Don’t miss: Shortage of Psychiatric Medications in Egypt: A Daily Struggle for Survival
Resignation of Ghada Waly from Her UN Position
Since assuming her role in February 2020, Dr. Ghada Waly became responsible for overseeing all policies and programs of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) globally. This included addiction treatment programs, supporting opioid substitution therapy (OST) strategies, including methadone and buprenorphine, within harm reduction programs, and providing technical and financial support to member states, including Egypt. This support manifested in training medical staff, establishing OST centers, and securing and distributing methadone.
A report, which Zawia3 has reviewed, holds Waly accountable for the crisis, as she was serving as the Director General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and Executive Director of the UNODC at the time. The report highlights her neglect of complaints submitted by patients — complaints which Zawia3 reviewed in May — and her failure to ensure oversight of UNODC-supported programs, including the methadone treatment program in Egypt, which was part of the harm reduction strategy. Furthermore, the report underscores her failure to adhere to the “Drug Dependence Treatment” principles issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN, which stipulated that any changes to opioid substitution treatment protocols should be evidence-based, patient-centered, and non-punitive.
The report also criticizes her for not initiating an investigation or issuing a statement after the methadone doses were reduced or cut without clinical justification, and after a large number of patients were expelled from the treatment program based on positive urine test results, in violation of both national and international guidelines. Moreover, the substitution of imported methadone with the locally manufactured product “Methadensi” — which several patients reported as ineffective or causing side effects — was also part of the criticism. Despite patients publicly reporting the crisis and filing complaints with international bodies, including the United Nations, Dr. Waly did not take action to address these concerns.
In early June, Ghada Waly the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), resigned from her position after a five-year term. She attributed her resignation—via an email sent to UN staff—to family reasons. In a phone interview with media personality Lamis Al-Hadidi on ON E Channel on June 1, Walyexpressed her desire to prioritize her family after decades of public service, saying: “I felt it was time to return and stay with my family—my children, grandchildren, and especially my elderly father, who now needs care.” However, sources confirmed to Zawia3 that the resignation followed her failure as a responsible official in the harm reduction file and the human rights violations that occurred under the guise of combating drugs.
Zawia3 had previously contacted Dr. Ghada Waly then Executive Director of the UNODC, in May to get a comment from her regarding the methadone treatment crisis in Egypt and to address the complaints submitted by some patients. However, the UN official and former minister was still out of the country at that time, and she responded briefly, confirming that the methadone treatment program is overseen by Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population, denying that the UNODC office is responsible for the program or the distribution of the medication.
In April, a number of patients filed complaints and appeals with both international and local bodies, accusing Ghada Waly, the former Minister of Social Solidarity in Egypt and Executive Director of the UNODC, of misleading the international community about the reality of the methadone program in Egypt. According to the complaints documented in the UN Ethics Office, copies of which Zawia3 obtained in May, Waly spoke at the 68th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, held in Vienna on March 14, 2025, about the “success of the methadone trial in Egypt” just two weeks before the sudden suspension of the drug without warning or alternatives, putting patients’ lives at risk. This could amount to “misconduct, neglect, or abuse of power.” The direct responsibility of Waly for the program places her under accountability, and calls were made for an independent UN investigation into the matter.
Zawia3 also documented a formal collective complaint in a previous investigation titled “The Sudden Termination of the Methadone Treatment Program in Egypt Violates Human Rights,” which was sent on April 27 to four bodies: the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UNODC, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, and the National Council for Human Rights in Egypt.
Don’t miss: From Cold Meds to Killing Sprees: The Rise of Shabu in Egypt
“Methadensi” – A Drug Produced Under Mysterious Circumstances
The official approval of the drug “Methadensi” (Methadone 10mg/1ml), a concentrated oral solution produced by the Egyptian International Pharmaceutical Industries Company (EIPICO), was granted by the Central Administration of Pharmaceutical Care on March 1, 2023. The approval, which was previously published by the General Administration for Scientific References and Medical Bulletins, states that the drug was produced in accordance with the EMC, an electronic reference for medications used in the United Kingdom, managed by a company called Datapharm in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies. The information in EMC is reviewed by regulatory bodies such as the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK). However, the approval does not mention that Methadensi has received authorization from any international regulatory bodies, such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), or the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This coincided with the shift to the drug in harm reduction units. We received multiple complaints from patients about insufficient doses, poor effectiveness, and safety concerns.
Zawia3 reviewed a package of the new drug “Methadensi,” which indicated it was methadone hydrochloride with a concentration of 10 mg/ml, produced by EIPICO. This drug is not listed in the drug markets. We also obtained a domestic dose of “Methadensi,” which is a clear solution with a light blue (“sky blue”) tint. We attempted to analyze it and understand the active ingredients, to verify whether the concerns of some addiction patients in harm reduction units about a potential link between the doses they received and the appearance of ketamine in their test results were valid. However, bureaucratic procedures involving government laboratories and the lack of necessary analysis capabilities in private sector labs prevented this. Zawia3 also attempted to contact the company’s management to address the allegations, but we did not receive a response to any of our inquiries.
In May, Zawia3 had previously contacted Dr. Assem Al-Aqbaoui, the Commercial Sector Head at EIPICO, regarding the new drug. He confirmed that the Egyptian Drug Authority had requested the company to produce a specific amount of “Methadone” in April. The company completed the task and delivered the drug to the Authority, which was then distributed to a specific group of patients (addiction patients) under medical supervision as part of a presidential initiative for mental health and addiction treatment. This marked the first locally produced methadone in Egypt.
Al-Aqbaoui mentioned that the company was unsure whether the Authority would request further production of the drug, but there was no plan to launch this non-circulating drug, which is intended for a limited group and requires medical supervision for dosage. He emphasized that there was no difference in the formulation of Egyptian methadone compared to the imported version.
The internal leaflet for the drug specifies that it is used for the treatment of opioid addiction (as a suppressant for withdrawal symptoms). Before starting methadone treatment, a discussion should be held with patients to develop a strategy for gradually tapering off the treatment in order to reduce the risk of addiction and withdrawal syndrome. The decision to keep the patient on long-term opioid prescription should be an active decision made in agreement between the doctor and the patient, with regular reviews (typically at least every three months, depending on clinical progress).
The recommended dosage for adults starts at 10-20 mg daily, and is increased by 10-20 mg per day until withdrawal symptoms or toxicity subside. The usual dose is 40-60 mg daily, with dosage adjustments made based on the level of dependency, aiming for gradual reduction. The drug is contraindicated in patients with respiratory depression, airway obstruction diseases, during an acute asthma attack, acute alcohol poisoning, concurrent use with MAO inhibitors (including moclobemide), or within two weeks of stopping them, for patients dependent on non-opioid drugs, during labor, for hypersensitivity to the active ingredient, increased intracranial pressure, head injury, pheochromocytoma, or the risk of intestinal paralysis (including reduced gastrointestinal motility caused by drugs).
The internal leaflet also warns of the potential for morphine-like tolerance and dependence, pulmonary edema in the event of overdose, and increased intracranial pressure. It lists rare side effects for patients receiving addiction treatment, including reports of death among several heroin patients within a few days of starting the methadone treatment program. Tests revealed chronic hepatitis in ten patients who died within 2-6 days of starting treatment, with an average dose of 60 mg. The sudden deaths are believed to have been caused by methadone accumulation and complications such as arrhythmias or cardiovascular collapse, as methadone has a depressive effect on neural membranes.
Drug Release After a Year of Approval
Dr. Ali Awf, the head of the Pharmaceutical Division at the Chamber of Commerce, suggests that the issue leading to the methadone shortage likely stems from the fact that the stock of imported methadone had expired and was no longer valid. However, he believes that this does not absolve the authorities of responsibility. “If the stock has expired, they should import more,” he stated in an interview with Zawia3. He further emphasized that the state should bear the cost of treating addiction patients and, thus, should import only the quantities necessary for the number of cases, avoiding surplus stock that could expire. He also pointed out the possibility that the foreign company may not have agreed to the drug’s pricing.
Awf views the decision to have an Egyptian company produce methadone as a positive step. This would prevent patients from being at the mercy of foreign producers who might suddenly raise their prices and help conserve foreign currency. He also mentioned that it would spare Egypt from political decisions that could negatively impact drug exports, citing the example of former President Donald Trump suddenly deciding to stop exporting certain drugs from the U.S. He said, “The Drug Authority asked EIPICO because it’s a giant company capable of localizing this industry.”
He added, “Once the company receives the approval notification, the drug will be launched in the market after at least a year. This is because they start by importing raw materials, which takes three to four months, and then conduct stability studies to ensure the product remains safe and maintains its color, taste, and efficacy. And let’s not forget that between 2023 and 2024, there was a dollar crisis, so there was no dollar available to import raw materials, and securing foreign currency was a major issue.”
Awf continued, “Since 2006, Egypt has not registered any drug unless it has been approved by one of the following reference countries: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Canada, Japan, or Australia. These are the reference countries for us. We rely on them because when they release a drug, they have conducted research, and the results are published and well known. The Drug Authority does not approve drugs from countries like India or China, for example, because they are not considered reference countries. Drugs are registered based on their British reference, which is a major scientific authority.”
Awf further explained that if an Egyptian company wants to manufacture a drug like the American “Panadol” (with paracetamol as the active ingredient), and the American company has already conducted all clinical trials, Egypt does not repeat these trials. Instead, the country performs “bioavailability studies” at accredited research centers. The foreign drug is given to one group of volunteers, while the Egyptian version is given to another, and the results are compared. “If the results of your drug are between 95% and 105% of the foreign drug’s results, it is considered equivalent. If it is outside this range, it is not considered equivalent, and the Drug Authority will reject it. This is done before the drug is released to the market.”
Don’t miss: Long Hours and Low Pay: Why Egypt’s Psychiatrists are Leaving
The Importance of Informed Consent
Dr. Ayman Atiya, a legal medical consultant and expert in medical ethics, told Zawia3 that it is illegal to change the medication for patients and provide them with a newly produced drug without obtaining their informed consent. He emphasized the need to adhere to the rights and duties of psychiatric patients, requiring their consent before subjecting them to any procedure or encouraging them to participate in clinical trials. The law outlines the steps for clinical trials, starting with obtaining approvals from research centers and universities. A patient cannot be subjected to these trials without signing an informed consent form and being fully aware of the potential risks.
The legal and medical expert also clarified that ketamine is a drug used for anesthesia during surgeries and could lead to sexual hallucinations if used improperly. He expressed skepticism regarding the results showing positive tests for ketamine among all patients due to a potential flaw in the drug test strips. If this hypothesis is true, the official body responsible for providing the test strips would bear the responsibility for the defect.
In conclusion, the methadone crisis in harm reduction units reveals an unprecedented collapse in one of Egypt’s most important addiction treatment programs, marked by negligence of patient rights and violations of national guidelines and international standards. From collective relapses to severe withdrawal symptoms, from the lack of transparency regarding the drug’s validity and efficacy to the dismissal of patients without clinical evaluations, thousands of those in need of treatment have faced a medical and ethical crisis that jeopardizes their lives.
Despite changes in leadership and the return of imported medication, patients are still receiving insufficient doses and drugs that have not been internationally approved. While officials pass the blame back and forth, it is the patients who are paying the price, caught between the pain of addiction and the dangers of the treatment. In times of health crises, transparency and swift responses are needed, not silence and experimentation. The right to safe and dignified treatment is not a luxury, but a commitment that cannot be delayed.
