BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb 2, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Waismann Institute, a world-renowned opiate dependency treatment center, today released findings of its 2004 Opiate Dependency Report, which shows that 56 percent of patients' opiate dependencies began with medication prescribed by their doctors. The findings are based on a survey conducted of patients receiving treatment for dependency to opiates such as painkillers OxyContin, Vicodin and Lortab, and the illegal narcotic heroin.

"The results of our 2004 Opiate Dependency Report indicate that there is a challenge faced by doctors treating patients in the evolving field of pain management," said Clare W. Kavin, executive director of The Waismann Institute. "The survey shows how painkiller dependencies often begin with a legal prescription to treat pain, and then the brain unsuspectingly develops a chemical reliance on the drug. These are not people who indulged in recreational drug use to achieve a high."

The Waismann Institute's 2004 Opiate Dependency Report also reveals that 53 percent of patients who were dependent on a prescribed medication did not ask for assistance from the prescribing doctor to get off the drug after the dependency was realized.

"It is common to see patients who feel shame for their dependencies; therefore, they will not admit to their doctors that a problem has arisen," said Waismann. "They also harbor the fear that if they inform the doctor of the dependency, the doctor will immediately stop prescribing them the drug."

The study also found that 14 percent of patients visited multiple doctors to obtain their drugs. Additionally, for the majority of patients, the survey results indicated that dependency to prescription pain medication was their only experience with a drug dependency. Fifty-three percent of respondents reported they had never experienced dependency issues with any type of illegal drug.

With headquarters in Beverly Hills, The Waismann Institute uses the exclusive Waismann Method of Neuro-Regulation to treat opiate dependency. Performed in a hospital intensive care unit, the Waismann Method involves cleansing the opiate receptors in the patient's brain of the narcotics while the patient is under anesthesia. During the procedure, the patient will have no consciousness of withdrawal, and will be able to return home within a couple of days. 75 percent of the prescription drug dependent patients who are treated with the Waismann Method remain drug free after one year.

For more information on the Waismann Institute, or to receive graphs illustrating survey findings, contact Rachel Kay at 619-234-0345 or via e-mail at kay@formulapr.com.

Copyright (C) 2004 Business Wire. All rights reserved.

For more information, please call (310) 205-0808 or (888) 987-HOPE or send us a confidential email.