Acupuncture in the treatment of drug addiction
Montreal, October 25, 1997 – Acupuncture treatments should be recognized by the Régie de l’assurance-maladie du Québec in the treatment of drug addiction. This is what Claudine Larocque demanded yesterday on behalf of the Professional Union of Acupuncturists of Quebec (SPAQ), affiliated with the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN).
In support of its request, the SPAQ called American psychiatrist Michael Smith, a pioneer in the use of acupuncture in the treatment of drug addiction, to testify. Acupuncture has been used for 20 years at the Lincoln Hospital detox clinic in the Bronx, NY, and treats up to 150 people a day.
According to Dr. Smith, acupuncture calms patients and helps them be more attentive during counseling sessions, in addition to reducing withdrawal symptoms. For the SPAQ, the available clinical evidence should convince the Minister of Health to open the doors of hospitals to acupuncturists and have their treatments reimbursed by the RAMQ.
At present, in Quebec, no acupuncture treatment is reimbursed by the public health system.
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