Low Prescription Rate for Drugs Like Methadone Highlights Need for Improved Care in Canadian Opioid Crisis
Healthcare systems worldwide face a potent challenge: the opioid crisis. And, as research from the University of Toronto indicates, Canada is no exception, particularly with low rates of prescriptions for potentially lifesaving medicines, like methadone, issued after opioid overdoses.
Evidence suggests a meaningful gap in the post-overdose care and attention patients receive, demonstrating a need to advance strategies aimed at reducing the opioid overdose rate and improving long-term outcomes.
The Scope of the Canadian Opioid Crisis
Canada is experiencing an opioid crisis of unprecedented proportions. The crisis, which is due in large part to a surge in opioid prescriptions, has led to increased rates of dependency and, unfortunately, overdoses. The economic and socio-economic impacts are far-reaching, touching on aspects such as healthcare cost, crime, homeless populations, and more.
Findings from the University of Toronto Study
The study from the University of Toronto presents profound insights into the low prescription rate of medications like methadone following opioid overdoses. Here are its key findings:
- In the six months following an opioid overdose, only 11% of patients are given a prescription for Methadone or Buprenorphine/Naloxone treatment. These are effective, approved treatments aimed at reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms in individuals with opioid use disorder.
- There is a significant difference between prescription rates among individuals who had experienced an opioid overdose and first-time opioid recipients. Specifically, patients with an opioid overdose who received care at a hospital setting were more likely to be treated with these medications (6.5% vs. 5.6%).
- There are evident inequalities in care and treatment approaches for patients with opioid use disorders across Canada. Care varies across provinces, urban and rural areas, and demographic groups.
Tackling the Opioid Crisis Head-On
The findings from this University of Toronto study underscore the urgent need for healthcare systems to adopt more assertive strategies to address the opioid crisis. But what could such strategies look like?
- Better training for healthcare providers on treating patients for opioid use disorder. This could mean increased focus on treatment with Methadone and Naloxone.
- Expand the availability of harm-reduction services including supervised consumption sites, naloxone kits, and opioid agonist therapies across rural and urban Canada.
- Adopting the proactive opioid class action lawsuit approach by holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis.
- Federal and provincial governments need to invest more in mental health services and programs, especially those tailored for individuals struggling with opioid use disorder.
Conclusion
The University of Toronto’s research offers a stark snapshot of current efforts to combat the opioid crisis in Canada. It highlights a worrying gap in post-overdose care, characterized by a low prescription rate of potentially life-saving medications like methadone. The study points to a pressing need for increased attention and resources aimed at rectifying these disparities and advancing the fight against the opioid crisis.
Ultimately, the measures taken to address the opioid crisis will have far-reaching ramifications. Progress will not only involve stemming the current tide of the opioid crisis but also fostering a socio-economic environment conducive to long-term recovery and harm reduction. Only through holistic, inclusive, and comprehensive care strategies can we hope to truly turn the tide on this devastating health catastrophe.
