Amsterdam crack-addiction trial halted as health regulator stops drug production
A pilot program in Amsterdam using dexamfetamine to treat crack addicts has been paused after the health inspectorate halted the drug’s production.
Amsterdam’s trial of dexamfetamine - a drug normally prescribed for ADHD - as a therapy for crack addiction has been put on hold after the Inspectie Gezondheidszorg en Jeugd halted its production. The inspectorate cited an active oversight procedure at the hospital responsible for manufacturing the medication, but did not disclose further specifics. The first participants had already received the drug, though the exact number of trial subjects is unknown.
Health alderman Scholtes, together with Mayor Halsema, sent an urgent letter to Health Minister Hermans demanding a review of the decision. City health services estimate that between 3,000 and 9,000 people in Amsterdam are dependent on crack, a figure that underscores the urgency of finding effective treatments.
Why it matters
Stopping the trial removes a potential new treatment for thousands of Amsterdam residents struggling with crack addiction.
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