Addiction clinicians tread carefully amid medication options.

Perhaps it was fitting that the co-presenter at a popular breakfast seminar on anti-addiction medications at last month's annual conference of NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) was Carlo C. DiClemente, Ph.D., a national expert in stages of change theory. Judging from the inquisitive but somewhat guarded reactions of conference attendees to two medication-related sessions at the conference, many addiction counselors still have not moved beyond contemplation in pursuing medication options for their clients.

Yet it is also clear that NAADAC considers medication treatments to be a significant part of its education and outreach effort for members. The far-ranging breakfast seminar and a more targeted training session on the medication acamprosate (Campral)--both of which were underwritten by educational grants from pharmaceutical companies--were similar to training events NAADAC has been conducting around the country. Three of the four …