A new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says the frequency of opioid prescriptions is trending downward in Canada.
Opioid Prescribing in Canada: How Are Practices Changing? presents trends in opioid prescribing in Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia (2013-18) and Manitoba (2016-18). Key findings include:
- Fewer people are being prescribed opioids, down eight per cent over the course of the study
- Fewer people have started opioids, down 9.6 per cent from the beginning of the study period
- The proportion of opioid prescriptions that are for one week or less is increasing, as is the proportion of lower doses (both up approximately one per cent during the study)
- Fewer people are being prescribed opioids long-term (down 2.2 per cent), while people who are prescribed long-term are receiving lower doses
- More people are stopping long-term opioid therapy
While these results are encouraging, an opioid crisis continues to ravage many communities across Ontario and Canada. To support these communities in the fight against this epidemic, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division developed this toolkit to help people understand the opioid antagonist naloxone and how to administer the medication to someone experiencing an overdose.