[Study of narcotics and buprenorphine prescriptions in the Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur region]

Following the setting up by the Government of their project for the management of drug addicts, and under the guidance of the CEIP (Centre d'Evaluation et d'Information sur les Pharmacodépendances [Centre for Evaluation and Information on Drug Addiction]) in Marseille, a survey of prescriptions written on controlled-drug prescription pads was performed. The aims were threefold: to study the medicines prescribed, to follow up the legislation and to inform doctors and pharmacists. Copies of the prescriptions, dated between 1 January 1996 and 30 June 1996, which were sent by 81 per cent of the 216 pharmacies contacted in 15 towns in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region were studied. Various criteria, relating to writing of the prescriptions and distribution of the medicines to the patients, were coded and analysed. This survey showed that of 4 prescriptions, 3 were prescribed for maintenance and one for analgesic therapy. The patients receiving maintenance therapy were male in three-quarters of the cases, and were around 30 years old. Analgesics were prescribed in equal proportions for patients of both sexes, who were around 65 years old. Since it was put on the market, Subutex has been quickly prescribed.