Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

589'Chairman Pepper. Our last mtness today is Dr. Richard B. Resnickof New York. Dr. Resnick is head of the addiction services unitof MetropoUtan Hospital Medical Center, where he also serves asassistant attending psychiatrist.Dr. Resnick received his medical degree in 1958 from New YorkMedical College and was formerly chief resident in psychiatry atMontefiore Hospital in New York.He is the author of numerous articles on the treatment of heroinaddiction using narcotic antagonists.Dr. Resnick is a colleague of Drs. Max Fink and Alfred Freedmanof New York Medical College, and has worked ^\dth them on significantresearch on the narcotic antagonists cyclazocine and naloxone.While these drugs have not yet been perfected for use in treatingaddiction, they offer real promise and the committee looks forwardto your testimony Dr. Resnick.Mr. Perito, you may proceed.Mr. Perito. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.Dr. Resnick, you have a prepared statement; is that correct?STATEMENT OF DR. EICHARD B. RESNICK, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR,DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGEDr. Resxick. Yes, sir.Mr. Perito. Would you care to read it or summarize it as yoiiwish?Dr. Resnick. Well, I would Hke to read it with some amendmentsfrom the original statement.Mr. Perito. Fine, Doctor. With the chairman's permission, pleaseproceed.Chairman Pepper. You go right ahead.Dr. Resnick. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I amgoing to discuss with you my experiences in the use of narcotic antagonistsin the treatment and also in the eventual potential use ofthese substances in prevention of opiate dependence.I believe that we are now on the threshold of a very importantmedical breakthrough in both the treatment and the prevention ofnarcotic addiction. As you are aware, until now the prevailing treatmentsof addiction have been either rehabilitative techniques aloneor together mth the use of opiate substitutes such as methadone andthat the development of the orally effective narcotic antagonists nowprovides a basis for a new and a different model of treatment.During the past 5 years at the New York Medical College we haveused and investigated these antagonists, substances such as cyclazocineand naloxone, for the treatment of opiate dependentindividuals.Our treatment has focused mainly on cyclazocine because of itsrelatively longer duration of action and its more ready availability/.Cyclazocine is an effective nonaddicting narcotic antagonistwhich, when taken daily m does of 4 to 5 milligrams a day, will blockall the physiological and subjective effects of about 20 or 25 milligramsof intravenous heroin and this action persists over a 20-26-hourperiod.