ABSTRACT
UK national policy aims to increase the role of general practitioners in treating drug dependence. By working in ‘shared care’ arrangements with specialist services they will become the main providers of treatment and, in particular, of methadone maintenance. There is little evidence to support the effectiveness of this approach. Studies on GPs’ attitudes to treating drug users, their knowledge and prescribing practices give rise to concern. Though examples of good practice by a minority of GPs are expanding, a national drug treatment policy should not be based on descriptive models of care alone. The foundations for an evidencebased policy must be substantiated.
