On July 4 2006, the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) jointly issued Work Plan of Community Maintenance Treatment for Opiates Addicts in accordance with Regulations on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment to facilitate the community drug maintenance treatment of heroine addicts.

The Work Plan was formulated to standardize the management and technical measures of community drug maintenance treatment for opiates addicts, reduce the occurrences of opiates abuse, reduce risky behaviors linked to HIV/AIDS transmission and reduce criminal offences or illegal activates and rehabilitate the normal social life of opiates addicts.

Among other things, the Work Plan specifies the confirmation and opening of maintenance treatment institutions, the authorization of maintenance treatment patients, the supply, use and management of drugs and the management of maintenance treatment and patients.