18
|
Volume1 Issue3
N
ews and
E
vents
PrescriptionDrug Abuse
BEINGPARTOFTHESOLUTION
Th
rought
together representatives from thepharmaceutical
industry, government, professional regulatory
bodies andassociations, andorganizations
involved inharm reduction in theareaof drug
abuse. Dr. JohnO’Keefe, CDAdirector of
KnowledgeNetworks, andDr. Gilles
Lavigne, deanof theUniversityof
Montreal facultyof dentalmedicine
andpresident-elect of theCanadian
PainSociety,wereamong the
attendees.
Theeventwas anopportunity
for theprofession tonetwork
with keyorganizations and for participants
toachieveacommonunderstandingof the
issues andbest practices for curbingprescription
drugabuse. “Manyattendeeswere surprised to
learn that dentistsprescribeopioids at all,” says
Dr. Lavigne. “And theywere just asdisconcerted
tohear about thepotential formisuseand
diversion—after all,weoften treat younger
populationswhoundergowisdom teeth
extraction.”
Topicson theagenda included the societal
harmsof prescriptiondrugabuse, practical
approaches toprevent drugdiversionandabuse,
the scienceof abuse-deterrence technology, the
useofmedia toencourage societal change. Panel
discussions focusedonpolicy solutions.
Fromadentistry standpoint, solutionsmight lie in
educatingbothclinicians andpatients. “Weneed
toencourage theprescriptionof low-dosage, low-
riskanalgesics, and remindpatients tobringback
to their pharmacist anyunusedprescriptiondrug,”
acknowledgesDr. Lavigne. Someparticipants
expressed similar views,mentioning that dentists
shouldavoidprescribingopioidswhereother
medicationsmaybeadequate, and should try
not toprescribemorepills thanwhatwould likely
suffice. “Wealsoneed togivedentists and their
teams tools tohelp identify subjects at risk,” adds
Dr. Lavigne.
Theattendees recognized theneed for greater
dialoguebetweenexpert groups todevelop
joint harm-reduction strategies, and for stronger
collaborationbetweenhealthcareprofessionals.
With this inmind, representatives frommajor
healthassociationsplanon joining forces to
mitigate thecomplex societal problemof
prescriptiondrugabuse.
Itwas alsomentionedat the symposium that
theRoyal CollegeofDental SurgeonsofOntario
is currentlydevelopingguidelineson the
prescriptionof opioids.
a
OnApril 30, theConferenceBoardofCanadahosted
a symposium tohelp identifypossiblemeasures against
prescription drug abuse and to support informed
prescriptionofopioidanalgesics.
Manyattendeeswere surprised to learn that dentists prescribe
opioids at all.And they were just as disconcerted tohear about the
potential formisuse anddiversion.
–Dr.GillesLavigne
Dr.GillesLavigne
