Opioid analgesics

Healthcare professionals must warn patients of opioid dependence risk, advises medicines regulator

Healthcare professionals should warn patients taking opioids of their risk of dependence and addiction, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has advised.…

Buprenorphine implant beneficial for patients with opioid dependency

The benefits of delivering buprenorphine by subcutaneous implant, rather than by sublingual tablet, for the treatment of opioid dependence outweigh the risks, research published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine sugggests…

Pharmacists may need more comprehensive training in discussing opioid risks with patients, interviews reveal

Pharmacists need better guidelines, training and interventions to inform patients about the potential risks of opioid medicines, the authors of a study published in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy have concluded.…

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.…