Preferred pharmaceutical-grade opioids to reduce the use of unregulated opioids: A cross-sectional analysis among people who use unregulated opioids in Vancouver, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Many people who use drugs in the United States and Canada continue to access the contaminated unregulated drug supply, resulting in the ever-escalating overdose epidemic. In Canada, even in areas where healthcare providers are authorized to prescribe alternatives to the unregulated supply (e.g., prescribed safer supply), availability and accessibility are low. We sought to characterize the needs of people who use unregulated opioids in Vancouver, Canada by asking them whether access to any pharmaceutical opioids would reduce their use of unregulated opioids, and if so, which pharmaceutical opioids they preferred.

Methods

We analyzed data from participants who self-reported using unregulated opioids in three Vancouver-based prospective cohort studies between 2021 a

SUBMITTER: Speed KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12279256 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature