OST Full Form in Medical term is Opioid Substitution Therapy. It is an evidence-based intervention for the opiate-dependent individual that replaces illicit drug use with orally administered medically prescribed opiates such as methadone and buprenorphine. This therapy is specifically aimed at reducing the harm and risk behaviours caused by HIV.
This therapy has various benefits, including reduced overdose morality, improved social functioning, enhanced possibilities for testing, monitoring, and treatment of Hepatitis B & C and HIV, reduced risk of Hepatitis and HIV, improved mental and physical health, and reduced/discontinued incidence of injecting.
Various side effects associated with OST. Low doses of OST drugs cause general weakness, body aches, yawning, and cravings. High doses of OST drugs can cause constipation and sleeplessness.
OST eliminated HIV risk harms and behaviours with overdose, injecting, and participation in criminal activity. As a result, it improves the health and quality of injecting drug users. In South Asia, especially in India, OSTs are a particular health issue. Most proof of OST effectiveness has been operated in high and middle-income countries.