Afghan opium 'could solve diamorphine shortage'
Opium poppy growth is a major problem in Afghanistan
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Tuesday, 23, Jan 2007 11:56
This year's crop of opium poppy in Afghanistan could be used by the NHS to produce diamorphine, a medical expert has said.
Speaking on the Today programme this morning, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of ethics at the British Medical Association (BMA), said that the drug's supply shortage needed rectifying.
"While we have such a shortage of diamorphine it does seem that as the crop is there, let's at least harvest it and use it medically," she said.
"That doesn't mean that we shouldn't look for the Afghan people to have a better form of sustainable agriculture," she clarified.
Dr Nathanson said that many countries believed alternatives to diamorphine should be found.
"There is a shortage of manufacturing but there is also a global move led by the US to not use diamorphine medically," she added.
"Those of us in Europe disagree with this. We think diamorphine is a better drug than alternative painkillers because it has other effects; particularly when given to people with respiratory conditions or after heart attacks. It is enormously powerful and also enormously helpful to patients."
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said that the diamorphine shortage was not caused by funding problems or the availability of the drug as a raw product, but by prohibitive transport requirements.
"Diamorphine injection has to be freeze-dried. This is a specialised process and there is limited production capacity both in the UK and elsewhere in the world," the spokesperson explained.
"In addition, many countries do not permit the use or handling of diamorphine, so even if companies locate freeze-drying capacity, there may be difficulties in obtaining permission to handle diamorphine from the governments of the countries concerned."
Commenting on poppy-growing in Afghanistan, a Foreign Office spokesperson expressed doubts about the practice's economic viability.
"Legitimising opium cultivation would also send out a mixed message to farmers, undermining the effectiveness of the government of Afghanistan's message that drugs are illegal under Afghan culture," the spokesperson added.
The Afghan government is working over the long-term to eradicate its opium poppy crop but ongoing security difficulties resulting from the Taliban insurgency are limiting its ability to inhibit the activities of poppy-growers.