Opioids

CPD_Illustration_Medication

Buprenorphine/naloxone for chronic non-cancer pain

By Dr. Katelyn Halpape on March 26, 2025

One in five Canadians live with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Due to the historical role opioids had as a key component of CNCP treatment, a number of patients living with CNCP are on long-term opioid therapy (LTOT). I discuss the off-label use of buprenorphine/naloxone as a distinctive treatment option for CNCP and LTOT.

Can we identify patients at risk for Opioid Use Disorder when beginning opioid analgesics for pain from new or ongoing non-cancer causes?

Can we identify patients at risk for Opioid Use Disorder when beginning opioid analgesics for pain from new or ongoing non-cancer causes?

By Jan Klimas, PhD; Michee-Ana Hamilton, MSc; Malcolm Maclure, ScD; Rita McCracken, MD, CCFP, PhD on August 24, 2021

There is growing recognition that opioid prescribing can lead to prescription opioid use disorder (OUD). It is estimated that nearly 115,000 British Columbians have become addicted to opioids. There is a need to safely reduce the volume of new opioid prescriptions for opioid naïve patients.

Equity-oriented health care

Equity-oriented health care

By Dr. Colleen Varcoe and Dr. Heather Smith on August 15, 2018

Health equity-oriented care is now part of my daily practice; the tools created with, and provided by, the EQUIP study have helped to make health care inequity an issue that I can screen for and offer options for management.

Managing opioid use disorder: buprenorphine/naloxone opioid agonist treatment

Managing opioid use disorder: buprenorphine/naloxone opioid agonist treatment

By By Dr. Christy Sutherland and Emily Wagner on November 15, 2017

I no longer offer rapid methadone tapers to my patients. Buprenorphine/naloxone is now recommended as the first-line opioid agonist treatment for opioid use disorder in British Columbia. This is because of its superior safety profile when compared with methadone as well as an easier transition to take home dosing.

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BC Take Home Naloxone Program – updated article

By Erica Tsang MD, Margot Kuo MPH, Ashraf Amlani MPH, Dr. Caroline Ferris MD CCFP FCFP, Dr. Jane Buxton MBBS MHSc on December 14, 2016

Opioid overdose is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and constitutes a serious public health issue. Throughout British Columbia (BC), the landscape of opioid overdose has evolved, first with oxycodone and more recently, illicit fentanyl.

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BC Take Home Naloxone Program

By Dr. Jane Buxton and Erica Tsang on June 24, 2015

Opioid overdose is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and constitutes a serious public health issue. Throughout British Columbia (BC), the landscape of opioid overdose has evolved, first with oxycodone and more recently, illicit fentanyl.

driving

Can my patient safely drive on long-term daily opioid medication?

By Dr. Chris Stewart-Patterson on November 25, 2014

A significant number on patients on daily opioid medications may not be safe to drive a motor vehicle and that particular clinical issue can be problematic to assess within a primary care clinic visit.

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Managing opioid withdrawal

By Dr. Pam Squire on June 9, 2014

Many people mistake the pain of withdrawal as their usual pain and assume their pain improved because the opioid was relieving their pain, when it was more often just relieving the pain associated with the induced withdrawal.

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