Reports of overdoses and deaths associated with methadone cause people to question the safety of using methadone to treat chronic pain. Methadone is a synthetic opioid pain reliever used to treat severe pain. It changes the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. Methadone is often prescribed when other pain relievers do not relieve a person's persistent and severe pain. It is a very strong medication and should be taken only as prescribed. Improper use or abuse of methadone can result in harm and even death.

If you are taking methadone or are considering taking methadone, you need to understand the risks of taking it and weigh those risks against the benefits you may receive so that you can make an informed decision about whether methadone is the right choice for you. Ask your doctor about the risks and potential benefits of methadone before beginning treatment. If you are already taking methadone to treat your chronic pain, review the risks with your doctor and update your doctor about any medications or dietary supplements you are taking that you may not have been taking when you first began taking methadone for your pain.

The National Pain Foundation is proud to support Zero Unintentional Deaths — a pilot program in Utah that strives to educate the public and health care providers about using methadone to treat severe and persistent pain and its aim to eliminate unintentional overdose deaths without compromising access to treatment of pain.

Below is the Zero Unintentional Deaths campaign's "Six Steps to Zero" to help patients better understand how to take their medications safely. Six Steps to Zero

1. Never take a prescription painkiller unless it is prescribed to you.
   Everyone responds differently to pain medications. What is safe for one person may not be safe for another.
    
2. Do not take pain medicine with alcohol.
   Never mix the two; it is a dangerous combination that can be deadly. Alcohol increases the toxicity of pain medication.
    
3. Do not take more doses than prescribed.
   Even after the effects of pain medicine seem to have worn off, it is still depressing the respiratory system. Some medications like methadone may relieve pain for a few hours but will have a prolonged respiratory depressant effect. The body must develop a tolerance to the respiratory depressant effects before the dose can be increased.
    
4. Use of other sedative or anti-anxiety medications can be dangerous.
   Combining pain medicines with other sedative drugs, such as valium, can increase the toxicity of the pain medication. Only take other medications if directed by the prescribing doctor or health care provider.
    
5. Avoid using narcotic medications to facilitate sleep.
   Narcotic medications can suppress respiration during sleep. Speak to your health care provider about safe methods to manage pain during sleep.
    
6. Lock up prescription painkillers.
   If consumed by children or other family members or stolen and sold on the street, prescription pain medicine can kill. can kill.