Ontario addresses prescription drug addictions

Suboxone treatment programs, where appropriate, are among the treatment options in Ontario’s recently announced strategy to help recovering OxyContin users.
“Suboxone is currently available through the Exceptional Access Program,” said Zita Astravas, spokeswoman for Health and Long-term Care Minister Deb Matthews. “Prescription narcotic addiction has been a growing problem in Ontario and we look to our experts’ advice on this important issue. The minister pulled together a group of experts from across the province and from different backgrounds to provide the best advice on how to respond to the changes relating to OxyContin.”
Matthews released a statement on OxyContin abuse on March 12, noting recent studies suggested an increase in opiod painkiller addiction as playing a contributing role in hundreds of overdose deaths.
“Working with my colleagues (Aboriginal Affairs) Minister (Kathleen) Wynne and (Children and Youth Services) Minister (Eric) Hoskins, we are developing a partnership strategy to monitor the impact of prescription narcotic changes and to immediately expand access to addiction services,” Matthews said in the statement.
OxyContin is no longer available in Canada after Purdue Pharma stopped distributing the opiod drug as of March 1 and replaced it with OxyNEO, a tamper-resistant tablet that is more difficult to crush and abuse.
“Ontario also decided to restrict access to OxyNEO by funding it through the Exceptional Access Program and the Facilitated Access to Palliative Care Drugs mechanism,” Matthews said.
“This decision balances appropriate use, patient care and the growing problem of opioid addiction in Ontario, and was based on advice from Ontario's Committee to Evaluate Drugs and extensive discussions with pain specialists, addiction experts and other health care providers.”
The strategy includes partnering with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to create withdrawal and treatment guidelines, working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to gather information from methadone programs across the province to help identify communities in need of additional resources and working with ConnexOntario and its Drug and Alcohol helpline to monitor incoming calls regarding opioid addiction and wait lists for addiction treatment services.
The province also plans to reach out to addictions programs through the Ontario Telemedicine Network to improve access to counselling services across the province, closely monitor emergency departments to identify increased cases of withdrawal, and to reach out to the federal government through the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs to address issues related to these changes emerging on First Nations reserves.
The Expert Working Group on Narcotic Addiction, which includes representation from the Trilateral First Nations Senior Health Officials Committee, is identifying additional short-term initiatives that will support the transition.
“As part of Ontario's Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, we are creating a more coordinated and responsive system to identify problems and intervene early, improving outcomes for those struggling with mental health and addictions,” Matthews said. “I will continue to work closely with health care partners and community leaders to ensure a coordinated response for those struggling with prescription narcotics addiction.”