Major changes to restrict access to opioids in Australia appear to be working, new research suggests. And while that's been welcomed, the struggle of some chronic pain sufferers has sparked calls to address "the crisis of misuse versus appropriate use".
Major changes to restrict access to opioids in Australia appear to be working, new research suggests. And while that's been welcomed, the struggle of some chronic pain sufferers has sparked calls to address "the crisis of misuse versus appropriate use".
In Australia, the misuse of prescription opioids has been a longstanding problem. At one point the nation recorded the world's ninth highest per capita consumption in the world. But changes to prescribing rules in 2020 appear to have been effective in reducing their use.