Attempts to tackle opioid crisis by limiting prescriptions

There are plans to reportedly limit the “number and strength” of opioid drugs for first-time users. The decision is based on an attempt to curb a reported “epidemic” where many are thought to be subject to over-prescription of opioids, resulting in reliance and dependency on the powerful drug.

Patients prescribed the drug for the first time are set to only be given a seven-day prescription as part of plans to tackle this growing problem.

Whilst the topic of overusing opioids is hot in America, it’s also being hugely debated here too. In the U.K., we’re also reportedly facing an epidemic of overusing prescription medications.

“Opioid crisis”

Opioids are very strong painkillers that usually require prescription. The U.S. is currently battling an “opioid crisis” where over-prescribing the potent drug is apparently creating a nation of addicts. We here in the U.K. are also facing similar problems through the reported overuse of medications, causing an over-reliance on powerful medications.

In some cases, patients are kept on opioids for so long that they’re developing a dependency for them. On top of that, with large amounts of opioids being prescribed for reportedly minor injuries and ailments, there is usually a significant excess left. Seeing no reason to waste them, some patients do not dispose of them and either keep them as reserves or share them with family and friends as if they were paracetamol.

According to the Royal College of Anaesthetists, side-effects of using opioids include nausea, vomiting, constipation, pruritus (severe itching of the skin), dizziness and dry mouth. The drug can also cause respiratory issues and liver damage too, but the biggest issue is they can be highly addictive.

Links to worsening the illegal drug trade?

Some police authorities are also finding that “fentanyl, carfentanil and other man-made opioids” are found in large portions of heroin. The reported over-prescription of opioids is therefore being linked to worsening the illegal drug trade as well.

This is yet another important reason as to why the report over-prescription of opioids needs to be curbed.

Overdosing and overusing

Powerful opioids are linked to overdoses as some users don’t realise just how potent the drugs can be. Online newspaper Vox reported that synthetic opioids are believed to have caused more overdoses last year than heroin; reaching a death toll of over 64,000!

Given doctors’ strong tendency to reportedly over-prescribe medication, a massive 78% of participants in one study said they would prefer “alternative methods of pain management” before resorting to taking drugs. Authors of the study recognised that patients were “aware of the dangers associated with opioid misuse and are open to drug-free alternatives for pain management.”

So, why are doctors still seemingly over-prescribing them?

Is it a marketing problem?

The answer as to why large volumes of opioids are being prescribed may come down to marketing.

In the U.S., there is reportedly an unsettling “drug culture” where drug manufacturers spend a lot of time, effort and money marketing their products. By sending out salespeople to ‘push’ drug sales, hospitals and suppliers find themselves being pitched amazing and wonderful drugs. As with a lot of marketing, the benefits can be often heavily exaggerated, with the drawbacks glossed over.

Through powerful marketing campaigns, manufacturers have reportedly managed to get doctors to prescribe opioids for almost anything and everything. This apparently included prescribing the drug for chronic pain even though evidence indicates that using opioids over a long period of time can have very little benefit and cause a lot of complications.

On top of that, there have been accusations of doctors receiving money for prescribing larger volumes of some drugs; therefore worsening this crisis.

Warnings to doctors

In the crackdown to “combat the apparent opioid crisis“, officials are warning doctors not to prescribe the drugs so frivolously, or risk losing their medical licence and even face jail time. This crisis is a very hot topic in America, and it’s one we need to keep a very close eye on here in the U.K. too.

Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/headache-pain-pills-medication-1540220/