Recent Vaccine News Sparks Questions Regarding Drug Treatment

With various media reports recently touting successes in the testing of vaccines for heroin and cocaine in recent weeks, the question now being raised is whether or not the vaccines will actually work as a cure. The short answer is no. Mexican scientists have been working on the heroin vaccine and have had success when tested with mice, and will soon begin testing with humans. The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has also reported success in its testing of a vaccine for cocaine as well. However, testing on vaccines as a Drug Treatment for various narcotics has been going on for decades, and no vaccine has yet to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. While the above news is encouraging, it’s important to note that the vaccine does not work against the underlying causes of many drug addictions, including dual diagnosis. Substance abuse rehabilitation facilities will still be a major force in addiction treatment, regardless of any successful vaccines that may be approved. Oftentimes, addictions are brought on by underlying factors such as social inequality, despair, financial status, stressful family situations and others. These issues will still be need to be dealt with. Drug recovery centers throughout the world no doubt would welcome the introduction of vaccines for various narcotics, and it would certainly be of great benefit for employees working in substance abuse rehabilitation. However, Drug Treatment is much more about the physical symptoms that would be aided by any vaccine. Emotional, mental and sociological issues will still need to be dealt with, and addiction treatment options in conjunction with any vaccine will still likely be in order. Addiction is generally described as a three-pronged disease, affecting the mind, body and spirit. While scientists can work on finding a possible cure for the physical, the disease of addiction will still be working hard to destroy both the mind and spirit of anyone dependent on drugs or alcohol. Mexican health secretary Salomon Chertorivski had predicted that the vaccine for heroin could be ready for humans in as little as five years. However, drug treatment will continue to be about treating all aspects of addiction, and substance abuse rehabilitation centers and drug recovery centers all over the world will still be fighting the battle of addiction despite medical breakthroughs.