If you relied solely on media coverage, you might think that the overdose crisis in this province is fuelled by prescribed opioids. But did you know that the number of overdoses from opioids prescribed to patients for pain has remained virtually constant – at less than 75 people per year in BC - for more than a decade?  The majority of these deaths occurred when people mixed other medications or alcohol with opioids.

 

While the practice for physicians has been to move away from opioids to manage pain and towards multi-modal therapies such as physiotherapy, access to these therapies is limited for many people in the province. The availability of pain specialists or allied health professionals with training in chronic pain is concentrated in larger urban centres, and is often only available to those who can afford it. For people whose pain is managed with opioids, and who may be dependent on - rather than addicted to - these drugs, the reduction of access can have a negative impact on their quality of life.

 

Made up of 21 members representing health care organizations, clinical experts, policy makers and people living with pain, our Opioid Disentanglement and Medication Stewardship working group is changing the narrative on opioid prescription, addiction and overdoses in the media, and correcting misconceptions about opioid use and dependency. Its objectives also include improving assessment for pharmacological treatment, balancing the harms and benefits of medications, and advancing appropriate pain management for patients across the province.

 

To better understand the impact of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC's Professional Standards and Guidelines on Safe Prescribing of Drugs with Potential for Misuse/Diversion on family physicians’ practice, Dr. Romayne Gallagher with the support of the Group launched a survey in partnership with UBC and Providence Health Care. 

 

Recently, the Group submitted feedback to the BC government on the regulation of recreational cannabis when it becomes legalized in 2018. The submission called for regulations that avoid impacting medical cannabis sales and use, and would enhance the accessibility, affordability and safety of the medical supply. You can read the full submission here.

 

Pain BC is grateful for the time and commitment of the volunteer members of the Opioid Disentanglement and Medication Stewardship working group and the many other individuals involved in Beyond the Summit initiatives.  Working together and aligning our efforts around a common agenda - to improve the lives of people living with pain - is making a difference.