Section 24 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (MODA) governs the prescription of controlled drugs for the treatment of addiction. The Minister of Health has the power to specify which medical practitioners and services can prescribe controlled drugs for the treatment of addiction. The Ministry of Health (the Ministry) regulates opioid substitution treatment providers under section 24 of the MODA, gazetting both a medical practitioner (as the lead clinician) and the specialist service. The lead clinician has the ability to authorise medical practitioners, either within the specified service or in primary health care, to prescribe controlled drugs for addiction treatment.
This document provides guidance to help addiction treatment services comply with section 24 of the MODA. Section 24 applies when a medical practitioner prescribes a controlled drug as a treatment for a person’s addiction to that or any other controlled drug.
This document explains the Ministry’s processes and policies for approving opioid substitution treatment providers under section 24 of the MODA. The Minister of Health can issue a New Zealand Gazette notice under section 24(7) specifying:
- a medical practitioner (lead clinician) (s 24(7)(a))
- a service, by listing the clinics and other places that constitute that service (s 24(7)(b)).