Recovery-focused care has the potential to significantly improve addiction treatment and the quality of life of service users, according to two leading international authorities.

In an article for Druglink magazine, American experts Prof Thomas McClellan and William White praise the work of the expert group chaired by Prof John Strang for conducting an unbiased, unemotional examination of the available evidence.

In a joint commentary on the group's report into prescribing, they argue that recovery is about lifestyle, not medication, and that no method of treatment can reliably induce recovery. However, the data demonstrates that good clinical practice – including opioid substitution therapy - can enhance recovery outcomes for individuals as well as improve public health and safety.