Australia faces pain crisis
November 17, 2011
A NINE-fold increase in overdose
deaths from oxycodone misuse in
Victoria over the past ten years is
leading experts to warn that
Australia may be on track to join a
global public health crisis.
The warning from the
Australasian Professional Society on
Alcohol and other Drugs, is based
on a study which analysed drug
toxicity deaths involving oxycodone
reported to the Victorian
coroner and found a steady
increase in numbers: up from 4
deaths in 2000 (when a sustained
release formula of oxycodone was
released) to 15 in 2005 and 46 in 2010.
“Most deaths from oxycodone
toxicity were unintentional
and just over half of those who died
were people prescribed the drug
for chronic pain,” said study author
Angela Rintoul from Monash
University’s School of Public Health
and Preventative Medicine.
“This is particularly concerning as
there’s little good quality evidence
to support the use of opioids in the
long-term treatment of patients
with chronic non-cancer pain, but
substantial evidence emerging of
serious harm,” she said.
According to Rintoul, if Australia
keeps going with the current
oxycodone trend, it will end up in
the same boat as the US and
Canada, which both now say
prescription drug poisoning is at
“epidemic levels”.
“Oxycodone poisoning is a
complex public health issue - a new
hidden population of drug
dependent people is rapidly
emerging, whose pathway to
dependence has been mediated in
some way by the medical and
pharmacy professions,” she said.
“A strategic and coordinated
response is required that balances
the need to prevent non-medical
use and diversion to illicit markets
while at the same time ensuring
people with a legitimate need for
oxycodone are not disadvantaged.”
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