Canada · 19 d ago
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Ontario's medical regulator tightens the rules on prescribing safer supply
The term
safer supply
Safer supply is medication given to people at high risk of overdose as an alternative to illicit opioids, most often hydromorphone.
What changes
- Only with opioid agonist therapy
- Doses taken in front of a health worker
- No take-home pills
- No eight-week limit, an idea dropped
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario will allow safer supply only alongside opioid agonist therapy, such as Suboxone or methadone, and patients must take the drugs in front of health-care professionals.
We're trying to prevent diversion as much as possible.
— Dr. Patrick Safieh, chair of the college's board
Patients already on agonist therapy
87 %
Board member Peter Wiesner said more than 87 per cent of safer supply patients are already on opioid agonist therapy, and asked for exemptions for the rest, including rural patients far from a pharmacy and people who work.
What's next
Health Minister Sylvia Jones's office has said she supports the changes, and the college says it will monitor them and adjust if needed.
