A new report by Health Quality Ontario reveals that over nine million prescriptions for opioids were filled in 2015-2016.
President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joshua Tepper says that’s up by nearly 450,000 prescriptions three years ago.
He says the alarming discovery is not so much the numbers, but the stronger types of addictive painkillers being prescribed.
Dr. Tepper says it’s important not to blame doctors or stigmatize patients.
Dr. Tepper says it’s a complex problem and suggests that they need to look at alternate ways to treat pain.
Health Quality Ontario is now developing quality standards to help tackle the problem and get physicians and patients talking about it.
