Study	Reason for exclusion
Battersby 1992	Study design: retrospective study (audit of 40 patients treated in substitution therapy centres) excluded as the design not in the scope of the review.
Fischer 1999	Study design: Open randomised clinical trial Allocation: randomised Participants: pregnant women Excluded as the type of participants were not in the scope of the review.
Ghodse 1990	Study design: Controlled Clinical Trial Allocation: double blind, randomisation not mentioned Participants: opiate dependents aged 19‐42 yr Interventions: heroin or methadone oral Outcomes: appropriate dosage of heroin to obtain stabilization Excluded as the outcomes were not in the scope of the review.
Haemmig 2001	Study design: Randomised Controlled Trial Allocation: Randomisation by Central Pharmacy Participants: opiate users mean age 29.9 Intervention: heroin or morphine Outcomes: reaction to substances: euphoria, itching, pain nausea, side effects Excluded as the outcomes were not in the scope of the review.
Hendriks 2001	Study design: Controlled Clinical Trial Outcome: bioavailability of heroin comparison between "chasing the dragon" of inhaled heroin Excluded as the outcomes were not in the scope of the review.
Jasinski 1986	Study design: Controlled Clinical Trial Participants: non‐dependent adult prisoners with history of long term opiate abuse Intervention: Methadone, Morphine and Heroin Outcomes: effects of the substance Excluded as the outcomes were not in the scope of the review.
Krausz 1999	Study design: review Excluded for not being a study but a review of studies
McCusker 1996	Study design: cross sectional study Excluded as the design not in the inclusion criteria
Mello NK 1980	Study design: double blinded, randomised study Participants: 12 patients 25.8 yrs, abused heroin for 7.8 yrs Intervention: All the participants were detoxified with methadone, then remained drug free for 7 days after which they were given naltrexone. People were then offered to work to earn money or point for heroin self‐administration. Outcomes: The potential of Naltrexone to help people remain abstinent Excluded because the intervention and the outcomes considered were not in the scope of the review.
Metrebian 1998	Study design: prospective observational study Participants: patients admitted to the clinic and observed for a period of 18 months. Intervention: Patients self selected whether they received methadone or heroin Excluded as the design was not in the scope of the review.
Mitchell 2002	Study design: open‐label crossover design Participants: 18 methadone maintenance patients, 36 yrs, a median of 1 previous methadone maintenance treatment episodes and a median duration of treatment of 28 months. Intervention: Patients were transferred from methadone to Slow Release Oral Morphine for six weeks before resuming methadone maintenance. Excluded as the design and the intervention not in the scope of the review.
Moldovanyi 1996	Study design: Controlled Clinical Trial Participants: 16 opiate dependence Intervention: morphine intravenous different dosages Outcomes: side effects Excluded as the design and the intervention not in the scope of the review.
Oppenheimer 1982	Study design: follow‐up study Excluded as the design is not in the scope of the review.
Rehm 2001	Study design: Cohort study Participants: 1969 opioid dependent drug users Intervention: heroin assisted treatment Outcomes: retention in treatment, social integration, referral to abstinence oriented treatment. Excluded for the design not in the scope of the review
Strang 2000	Study design: randomised controlled trial Participants: 40 opiate dependent injectors Intervention: injectable vs oral methadone Excluded as the intervention is not in the scope of the review.
Uchtenhagen 1999	Study design: cohort study Excluded as the study design is not in the scope of the review.