Opioid analgesics

Codeine should not be available over the counter, says chair of opioid expert working group

Low-dose codeine should no longer be available to buy over the counter, the chair of the UK’s Commission on Human Medicines opioid expert working group has said.…

Opioid prescribing in Wales increases by 30% in a decade

Opioid prescribing in Wales has increased by 30% in the past decade, according to figures published by the Welsh government.…

A rethink of our approach to chronic pain is desperately needed

Chronic pain places a huge burden on millions of individuals, families and carers in Great Britain. However, despite being such a prevalent condition, the tools for managing it are pretty blunt.…

The deadly online prescribing loophole

Online prescribing has long operated in a regulatory grey area, with some online pharmacies evading oversight by exploiting technical loopholes in the law.…

WHO retracts opioid guidance following concerns of pharmaceutical industry influence

The World Health Organization has retracted guidance on opioid use, following concerns raised in the United States that the guidance had been influenced by opioid manufacturers.…

Opioid use offers limited benefits for patients with osteoarthritis

Opioids offer only small benefits in terms of pain and function in osteoarthritis and do not improve quality of life or depression, research presented at the 2019 American College of Rheumatology annual meeting has suggested.…

Benzodiazepines linked to overdose deaths among those treated for opioid dependency

Individuals treated for opioid dependency who also take benzodiazepines are almost three times more likely to die from an overdose, research published in PLoS Medicine has suggested.…

Top ten features of 2019

Among our most-read features in 2019 was an investigation into whether pharmacists are dispensing too many multicompartment compliance aids, and another on why thousands of patients are being left on potentially risky drug combinations involving anticoagulants.…

Top five infographics of 2019

Medicines-related harm is an issue close to the hearts of all of those who work in pharmacy, making our infographic on medication errors the most popular of 2019.…

Opioids linked to more than half of hospital admissions for drug misuse poisoning

More than half of all hospital admissions for drug misuse poisoning in England are related to opioids other than heroin, figures from NHS Digital have shown.…