Dependence on heroin or other opiates is a condition which is difficult to treat. Research has been unable to point to any clear evidence of lasting effects of medication-free treatment. The dominant treatment method is opioid substitution treatment (OST) with methadone or buprenorphine, the latter often combined with naloxone. Metastudies show that OST is effective in light of factors such as mortality, morbidity, illicit drug use, and criminality.(Mattick, Kimber, Breen, & Davoli, 2008; Mattick, Breen, Kimber, & Davoli, 2009; Amato, Minozzi, Davoli, & Vecchi, 2011)OST also carries risks. (Source: International Journal of Drug Policy)