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Open Access Government Opioid Series
OPEN ACCESS GOVERNMENT OPIOID SERIES
The opioid epidemic is an ongoing issue globally. With so much at stake, and so much misinformation readily available, Drs Jason Busse and Norm Buckley worked with Open Access Government - an open access digital publication based in the UK - to create a series of informative articles addressing some of the most prominent issues surrounding opioids.
The series, with five articles published to date, covers the role of opioids in treating chronic pain, challenges with prescribing guidelines and current prescribing practices, as well as the impact of the opioid crisis in Canada and government response and strategies. The opioid crisis has been an issue in Canada for nearly 25 years. "Tragically, even though prescribing has declined between 2010-2023, the number of deaths associated with opioids has soared. Most deaths are now associated with highly potent synthetic opioids acquired through illicit markets and often mixed with other drugs or sold as other drugs without user awareness of their high potency," say Busse and Buckley.
The next article will appear in the July 2024 edition and will look at safer and more effective use of opioids and the importance of high-quality literature to support decision making and practice.
You can view the series by visiting: https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/michael-gdegroote-institute-for-pain-research-and-care
