Defining dosing pattern characteristics of successful tapers following methadone maintenance treatment: results from a population-based retrospective cohort study.
Nosyk B., Sun H., Evans E. et al. Addiction: 2012, 107(9), p. 1621–1629.

Based on detailed treatment records kept by the Canadian province of British Columbia, a slow taper liberally interspersed with stabilisation periods offers the best chance of sustainably withdrawing from methadone without severe relapse, but still very few manage to avoid this risk – an argument for careful consideration and informed consent before making the attempt.

Key points from summary and commentary
• A slow taper of a year or more liberally interspersed with stabilisation periods seemed to offer the best chance of avoiding relapse over the next 18 months.
• Even then the great majority of taper attempts were followed by relapse, and overall fewer than 1 in 20 tapers ended in treatment exit and sustained remission.
• Reviews have found that while withdrawal severity can be ameliorated, very few patients complete the process of tapering (gradual dose reduction) methadone preparatory to treatment