| Sumario: | Opioid maintenance treatment is the most common form of treatment for people with opioid dependence in Norway. In opioid maintenance treatment, the patients are offered a suitable replacement drug for the opiate they are dependent on. The treatment is often lifelong and involves that they must give samples of biological material regularly. This systematic review summarises the effects of using biological samples in the rehabilitation of persons that receive opioid maintenance treatment. Biological samples can be urine, saliva, hair or sweat. These are analysed for traces of drugs and medication. We only found one relevant study. All the persons participated in the same opioid maintenance treatment program. One group submitted observed urine samples regularly; the other group did not provide such samples. Two times during the study period, all participants had to submit an unannounced observed urine sample. We found that: 1. The evidence is too uncertain to conclude whether or not submitting regular observed urine samples influences use of illicit drugs or satisfaction with the treatment than if no such tests are submitted. 2. There is a lack of evidence concerning whether use of biological samples influences retention in treatment, or has any effect on rehabilitation measures, criminality and self-reported use of illicit drugs. 3. There is a lack of evidence on use of other biological samples than urine.
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