New methadone clinic opening in Charlottetown

Five family doctors have joined together to open a new methadone clinic in Charlottetown.

The clinic will operate independently from the one at the provincial addictions treatment facility in Mount Herbert. The doctors have all been trained to administer methadone and suboxone.

The five doctors will each work a half-day a week at the clinic, away from their regular practices.

They set up the clinic to alleviate the waiting list for methadone treatment on the Island. Health PEI says 40 people have been identified as "good candidates" for the new clinic. It says so far 14 people have been referred to it.

One of the clinic’s physicians, Dr. Peter Hooley, said he expects they'll receive more referrals as people become aware of the clinic.

Hooley said there is a large demand for methadone treatment, and many families have members who struggle every day with opiate addiction. Doctors are dealing with the health and social fallout of the problem, he said, and something had to be done.