Opioid deaths show importance of prescription monitoring: Coroner In two reports, a Tasmanian coroner said prescribers should be signed up to real time prescription monitoring and check current authorities.
Opioids ease osteoarthritis pain only slightly: Research Their deadly risks need to be weighed against any benefit, according to the authors of a new Australian study.
Opioid treatment study ‘may impact’ future Australian guidelines Results from a clinical trial of extended-release buprenorphine injections reveal high retention and treatment satisfaction.
‘There must be a better way’: Dealing with complex patients Trying to manage these patients is stressful enough, but when the authorities get involved it can create a nightmare, writes Dr Hester Wilson.
Organised crime targeting GPs for potent fentanyl patches NSW Health has issued a warning for doctors to be on high alert amid reports of patients seeking opioids as part of organised criminal activity.
Should GPs routinely prescribe naloxone to people who use opioids? Experts believe this measure may be life-saving, likening it to using an Epipen for anaphylaxis or intramuscular glucagon.
Opioids: Tolerance, dependence and overdose Dr Jill Thistlethwaite talks with Dr Hester Wilson, a GP and addiction medicine specialist, and Ms Leah Dwyer, a member of Painaustralia’s Consumer Advisory Group.
Trial helps reduce ED opioid interventions for back pain While the research was based in emergency departments, its findings also provide insights into pain management in general practice.
What the TGA’s recent opioid changes mean for GPs Adjunct Professor John Skerritt of the Therapeutic Goods Administration outlines why the regulator is making changes to opioid indications and pack sizes.
Wastewater reveals record high drug consumption New Australian data shows a spike in overall drug use at the height of the pandemic, but opioid use is down.