Ontario’s medical regulatory body is proposing extensive revisions to the prescription of safer supply medications, as revealed by The Canadian Press. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario intends to tighten regulations and will convene a board of directors meeting next week to deliberate on the suggested modifications.
Safer supply entails prescribing medications as a substitute for street-obtained opioids to individuals at a heightened risk of overdose. Hydromorphone is the most prevalent form of safer supply, which is a potent opioid commonly used for pain management but notably less potent than fentanyl and its related derivatives that dominate the illegal drug market. Fentanyl is frequently mixed with other substances like benzodiazepines, a sedative, and xylazine, commonly used as an animal tranquilizer.
One of the proposed changes by the regulator, outlined in a document discreetly placed on its website, mandates that “physicians must only prescribe safer supply medications alongside opioid agonist therapy.” This therapy involves using medications such as methadone to address opioid addiction.
Additionally, the college is suggesting an eight-week time constraint for physicians to prescribe safer supply drugs and requiring that consumption occurs under the supervision of healthcare professionals.
Earlier in May, the regulator implemented alterations to its drug prescription policies, necessitating physicians to conduct in-person assessments before prescribing narcotics for safer supply. It also made opioid agonist therapy mandatory before prescribing safer supply drugs and mandated follow-ups every three months.
The rationale behind the proposed changes primarily focuses on the diversion of patients’ prescription medications to the black market. Mickey Cirak, spokesperson for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, emphasized the need for these amendments to bolster oversight of safer supply prescription and enhance safeguards concerning physician prescribing practices.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones supports the proposed changes, emphasizing the government’s stance against the distribution of illegal drugs, including the misuse of hydromorphone disguised as ‘safer supply.’
Critics, however, including harm reduction worker Lorraine Lam, have expressed concerns about the potential negative impacts of the changes. Lam highlighted the perceived dangers and destabilizing effects of the proposed alterations, particularly on individuals reliant on safer supply. She emphasized the fear, anxiety, and anger among affected individuals and the potential risks of increased overdoses and deaths if access to safer supply is abruptly cut off.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario asserts that the initiative to amend safer-supply prescription regulations is independent and not instigated by the provincial government. The board of directors is scheduled to convene on October 13 to vote on the proposed changes.