U.S. Government Organizations Release Positive Information About VIVITROL for the Treatment of Alcoholism
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health services Administration (SAMHSA), a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, issued its quarterly Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory developed for the education of healthcare professionals in the field of substance abuse. The advisory features a comprehensive overview of VIVITROL® (naltrexone for extended- release injectable suspension), which was approved by the FDA in April 2006.
"We are pleased that these government organizations have formally recognized VIVITROL, the first and only once-monthly injectable medication for the treatment of alcohol dependence, as an important and effective treatment option in their recent publications," said David Gastfriend, MD, Vice President, Medical Affairs at Alkermes. "We encourage healthcare providers, including addiction specialists and primary care doctors, to utilize this valuable information as they evaluate and treat their patients who struggle with the deadly disease of alcoholism."
VIVITROL is a once-monthly, single dose 380 mg intramuscular gluteal injection indicated for patients who are able to abstain from drinking alcohol in an outpatient setting and who are not actively drinking prior to treatment initiation. VIVITROL should be used as part of a comprehensive management program that includes ongoing counseling or group therapy. According to Alkermes, VIVITROL, a long-acting form of naltrexone, is effective and generally well tolerated for the treatment of alcohol dependence. In clinical trials, when used in combination with psychosocial support, VIVITROL was shown to reduce the number of drinking days and heavy drinking days and to prolong and maintain abstinence in patients who abstained from alcohol the week prior to starting treatment.
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