Hydromorphone, a potent synthetic opioid, is a central element of Victoria’s new drug strategy. 

The state has unveiled a new plan to address its drug addiction issues, featuring the trial of the hydromorphone as part of its $95 million Statewide Action Plan.

“People struggling with addiction deserve our care wherever they are, and our statewide plan will save lives with a new community health service for the city while boosting support services in our suburbs and regions,” said Premier Jacinta Allan.

A new community health hub, costing $36 million, is slated to open in 2026 opposite Flinders Street Station. It will serve as the location for the hydromorphone trial. 

This follows a small but promising pilot of the treatment in Sydney, and studies from Canada indicating significant benefits in treatment retention and reductions in illicit drug use and related criminal activity.

Dr Hester Wilson, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Addiction Medicine, says existing treatments such as methadone have their limits.

“[Methadone] doesn’t help them to stop using, it doesn’t help them to get stable and get their lives back on track,” Dr Wilson said. 

White there is general support for the hydromorphone trial, there is also disappointment that the government will not open a second supervised injecting room.

Former federal Greens leader Dr Richard Di Natale and Dr Anita Muñoz of the Royal Australian College of GPs, Victoria, have both said it is a missed opportunity to extend more comprehensive support to those affected by drug addiction.

Instead of a second injecting room, the government plans to enhance pharmacotherapy services across Victoria, creating an additional 1,500 spots in 30 new locations to help address the service gaps in suburban and regional areas. 

This expansion is crucial as approximately 90 per cent of overdose deaths involving heroin occur outside the Melbourne CBD, indicating a widespread and urgent need for accessible treatment options.

Further, the plan includes trials for Naloxone vending machines and a ‘Never Use Alone’ helpline aimed at overdose prevention and response. 

“Pharmacotherapy is the most effective treatment option available – we’ll boost it in up to 30 locations statewide, and we’ll trial a new pharmacotherapy treatment within a clinical setting in the CBD to divert people from the illicit drug market and give hope to the seriously addicted,” said Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt.