China has made great progress in applying the methadone replacement therapy to curb drug users' addiction, said a Malaysian expert from the Australian-Asian Royal College of Physicians Tuesday.

Although many countries have made little headway in applying the therapy among drug users, "we have seen a progress like in my country (Malaysia) and in China," said Adeeba Kamarulzaman on the second day of the 17th World Conference on AIDS in the Mexican capital.

Methadone, a synthesized narcotic developed in Germany in 1937,is far less noxious than morphine hydrochloride. It can be used as a substitute for drugs such as heroine to help addicts wean away from their addiction.

It has been widely recognized that promoting methadone replacement therapy can effectively curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.

China currently has over 500 clinics that provide cheap methadone to drug addicts, and nearly 100,000 drug users have received the replacement treatment, according to statistics released by the Chinese Public Security Ministry in late June.

The ongoing conference, scheduled for Aug. 3-8 and with Universal Action Now as its theme, is drawing about 25,000 participants from across the world.

http://www.gzjiayumed.com/en/index.asp