Methadone Program

To prescribe methadone for analgesia or for the treatment of opioïd dependence, physicians must be exempted under section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. As well, the support of the physician's licensing body is normally required . Below you will find the application forms for an exemption to prescribe methadone.

To obtain procedures for temporary exemption during hospital admission, to verify if a practitioner is exempted to prescribe methadone or for other inquiries please contact the Methadone Program directly at:

exemption@hc-sc.gc.ca,
Telephone: (613) 946-5139
Toll free: 1-866-358-0453

Application Forms

• Methadone Exemption Application (For all practitioners practicing in the province of: Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
• Methadone Exemption Application (For physicians practicing in the province of Ontario and applying for an exemption for analgesic purposes)

For physician practicing in the province of Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and applying for an exemption for opioïd dependence, please contact your licensing authority directly.

Guidelines for opiate dependence treatment

British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec have their own provincial guidelines that should be followed by practitioners prescribing methadone in those provinces. For all other provinces, the Health Canada guidelines: "The use of opioïds in the management of opioïd dependence"

Best practices document

• Methadone Maintenance Treatment