US EditionB.C. opioid rules were to reduce overdoses. But they cut cancer patients' pain meds
- In 2016, British Columbia's medical regulatory authority implemented a binding opioid prescribing guideline aimed at lowering overdose fatalities in response to the province's declared public health crisis.
- This rule aimed to curb opioid misuse particularly among patients with chronic non-cancer pain, but misinterpretation led to more conservative prescribing affecting cancer and palliative-care patients too.
- Between 2016 and its 2018 revision, opioid doses and days supplied declined significantly for cancer patients, palliative-care patients, and those with chronic non-cancer pain despite different prescribing concerns for the groups.
- Opioid dispensations were 15% lower per cancer patient translating to 4.5 fewer supply days over 30 days, while palliative-care dosage dropped 6.1%, with the study warning that aggressive tapering may increase pain and overdose risk.
- The 2018 revision addressed concerns about misinterpretation causing widespread conservative prescribing, highlighting the need for diverse input in policymaking to avoid unintended patient harm.
23 Articles
23 Articles
BC opioid rules were aimed at reducing overdoses. But they cut cancer patients' pain meds
Rule changes designed to reduce opioid overdose deaths in British Columbia in 2016 inadvertently harmed cancer and palliative-care patients by reducing their access to pain killers, a new study has found.
B.C. opioid rules were to reduce overdoses. But they cut cancer patients' pain meds – Energeticcity.ca
Rule changes designed to reduce opioid overdose deaths in British Columbia in 2016 inadvertently harmed cancer and palliative-care patients by reducing their access to pain killers, a new study has found. The study published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal describes the impact of a practice standard issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. that June, about two months after the province declared a public heal…
B.C. opioid rules were to reduce overdoses. But they cut cancer patients’ pain meds
Rule changes designed to reduce opioid overdose deaths in British Columbia in 2016 inadvertently harmed cancer and palliative-care patients by reducing their access to pain killers, a new study has found. The study published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal describes the impact of a practice standard issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. that June, about two months after the province declared a public heal…
On Tuesday, the Capital Region adopted a new action plan that, among other things, focuses on the use of strong and addictive medication such as opioid pills. This is reported by DR. The Capital Region wants the use of opioid pills, for example, to be reduced. - There are far more pills in a package than you need. Several doctors have felt pressured by patients to prescribe the pills, says regional council member Magnus von Dreiager (K) to DR. T…
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