These guidelines have been developed in response to the resolution Guidelines for psychosocially assisted pharmacological treatment of persons dependent on opioids of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The aims of these guidelines are to reduce global barriers to the effective treatment of opioid dependence, contribute to the development of evidencebased and ethical treatment policies for opioid dependence, contribute to improvement of the quality of pharmacological treatment of opioid dependence and facilitate implementation of effective treatment policies and programmes for opioid dependence.