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Beckley doctor plans non-opioid addiction clinic

BECKLEY, W.Va. — A Beckley psychiatrist is set to open an addiction treatment clinic where patients will be prescribed only non-addictive drugs and receive mandatory counseling.

Dr. M.K. Hasan, founder of Raleigh Psychiatric Services, and clinical social worker Michael Johnson, an advanced addiction specialist, are purposefully bringing a non-addictive, comprehensive drug treatment program into southern West Virginia — an area they say is glutted with clinics that offer only addictive opioids such as Suboxone and methadone as treatment for narcotics addiction.

 “I had talked about doing it for a long time,” said Hasan, who had offered Suboxone treatment to patients for several years when Subuxone first became available. “The plan is to open an anti-opiate clinic.

“The treatment will be medication, psychological testing, if necessary, and group and individual therapy.”

Chewable naltrexone, a medication that prevents relapse after opioid detox and treats alcohol addiction, will be prescribed at the clinic for beginning patients. Naltrexone is non-addictive.

Hasan is currently working with West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources officials to gain state approval to administer Vivitrol, an injectable form of naltrexone, at the clinic.

Some insurance companies are more likely to cover the naltrexone tablets than Vivitrol in the beginning of therapy, said Hasan.

Hasan said naltrexone therapy is ideal for highly motivated patients who are stepping down from Subuxone or methadone treatment.

“In my opinion, Subuxone should only be prescribed for a short period of time for most people…

 

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