‘A complete 180’: how a trial treatment in Sydney for heroin addiction is changing lives

The powerful synthetic opiate has been used overseas as an opioid replacement therapy for people experiencing chronic heroin addiction for whom alternatives such as methadone or buprenorphine might not have worked.

The New South Wales hydromorphone trial has been run at the drug treatment service at St Vincent’s hospital in Darlinghurst in partnership with Uniting, the organisation which operates Sydney’s supervised injecting centre in Kings Cross.

Emma Maiden, Uniting NSW’s general manager of advocacy, says the feasibility study is testing whether hydromorphone could be provided at existing drug treatment services.

In the room where people inject themselves with hydromorphone, laminated posters about healthy snacks and breathing exercises are stuck to the wall, next to a board of photos of the “Fo-pets” of staff and participants; dogs, budgerigars, “500 worms”.

Dr Craig Rodgers, senior staff specialist in addiction medicine at St Vincent’s hospital: ‘It’s all about connections.’ Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian Victoria’s hydromorphone trial will also be small, limited to just 30 people a year.

Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The GuardianThe Penington Institute chief executive, John Ryan, believes Victoria’s hydromorphone trial should start “urgently” but it won’t be a substitute for another supervised injecting room.