SafeTaper is guided by the four cornerstones of biomedical ethics.

Autonomy

We seek to empower patients who struggle with a dependence on benzodiazepines.  SafeTaper seeks to help patients establish their optimal neurochemistry and overcome their physical dependence upon their benzodiazepine. 

We believe that the patient should be in the driver’s seat of their own medical care.  The patient’s own desire to get well is one of the most powerful forces of healing available to the patient.  We will work with our patients towards their freedom, empowerment, and healing.  Patients will be afforded choice during the taper process: start and end of taper, taper time interval, taper dose interval, and taper pauses.

Justice

SafeTaper was created to right a wrong.  We seek to correct the process of benzodiazepine over-prescribing by helping patients safely and slowly taper patients off of benzodiazepines.

Knowingly and unknowingly, physicians have caused harm to patients by over-prescribing benzodiazepines, which can produce profound physical and/or psychological dependence.  Many patients were never informed of the risk of dependence prior to the initiation of the prescription.  Many patients are harmed by their ongoing use of benzodiazepines. 

Benzodiazepines dependence affects people of all types.  Over time, we will build an inclusive practice that serves all benzodiazepine-dependent people regardless of income or insurance.  

Beneficence

Benzodiazepines are safe when taken for a limited time (roughly 2 to 4 weeks).  However, when taken for months or years, the medication loses its effectiveness and produces dependence and other harms.  We believe that long-term use of benzodiazepines almost always represents a net negative for the patient (that the harms outweigh the benefits).

Given that many patients have been prescribed benzodiazepines for a long time, and that we believe that such prescriptions harm patients, we believe that many patients on long-term benzodiazepines will be well served to discontinue taking benzodiazepines under medical supervision.  SafeTaper was built to safely and slowly taper patients off of benzodiazepines.

Non-Maleficence

Rapid discontinuation of benzodiazepines can cause an uncomfortable and occasionally dangerous benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome.  We pledge to minimize harm to our patients by very gradually tapering - or reducing - the amount of prescribed benzodiazepine until the patient can safely discontinue.