National Opioid Response Needs National Pain Strategy

The Department of Health is developing options for a national regulatory response to opioid use and misuse in Australia – an issue that has climbed to epidemic proportions in the United States and one that requires considered action to avert a similar outcome here.

Since 2009 there has been an increase in opioid prescriptions in Australia, from about 10 million to 14 million per year, and deaths related to pharmaceutical opioids now exceed heroin deaths.

Despite strong evidence demonstrating opioids are largely ineffective for chronic pain, they continue to be prescribed especially in areas where access to pain management services is limited. People with unmanaged or poorly managed pain are therefore at risk of drug dependence and misuse, as well as accidental death.

While regulation and real-time monitoring can play a powerful role in addressing medication misuse by modifying prescribing behaviour, Painaustralia believes these strategies must not operate in isolation.

Painaustralia has written to the Department highlighting the need for a national response to pain and a commitment to implement the National Pain Strategy.

Expanding access to multidisciplinary pain management, in particular non-medicine treatment and management options, will be essential to ensure adequate provisions are made for the one in five Australians living with pain. 

Painaustralia also supports comments made by the Australian Pain Society and the Faculty of Pain Medicine (ANZCA) including:

• the inclusion of other medications in the review such as codeine, other medications that are being prescribed instead of opioids e.g. gabapentoids and long-acting opioids; 

• restrictions of higher dose opioid products;

• the importance of ongoing education and training for undergraduates and health practitioners, including but not limited to mandatory prescribing training and multidisciplinary pain management; and 

• recognition of the prevalence of stigmatisation for people with chronic pain and those who use pain medications. 


The consultation paper Prescription strong (Schedule 8) opioid use and misuse in Australia – options for a regulatory response is available for comment until 2 March 2018. Painaustralia will participate in the review.

For more information click here