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Verhagen R, Gerber C, Thai PK, Connor J, Loveday B, Bade R, O'Brien J, Jaunay EL, Simpson BS, Chan G, Hall W, Thomas KV, Mueller JF, Tscharke BJ. Wastewater-based evaluation of the efficacy of oxycodone regulations in Australia. Addiction 2024. [PMID: 39259037 DOI: 10.1111/add.16653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Between 2018 and 2020, Australia implemented major policy changes to improve the quality and safety of opioid prescribing, with a specific focus on oxycodone. This study used wastewater-based epidemiology to assess the efficacy of Australia's regulatory reforms by measuring change in consumption of oxycodone via exploratory analysis. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, MEASUREMENTS Wastewater analysis data on oxycodone consumption was from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. The program captures data from more than 50 wastewater treatment plant catchments across Australia, equivalent to more than 50% of the national population. Geographic trend analyses were conducted for both major cities and regional areas within all states and territories of Australia over a 6-year period between 2017 and 2023. FINDINGS Oxycodone consumption showed a statistically significant increase nationally from 78 mg/day/1000 people (95% confidence interval [CI] = 71, 84) in 2017 to 120 mg/day/1000 people in August 2019 (95% CI = 110, 120), an increase of 52% (95% CI = 42, 62, P < 0.0001). From August 2019 to December 2020, there was a statistically significant decrease from 120 to 65 mg/day/1000 people (95% CI = 60, 71), a decrease of 45% (95% CI = 40, 51), followed by a modest 2.4% increase to the end of the study period in April 2023 (95% CI [2.0,2.7]). CONCLUSIONS A 45% reduction in oxycodone consumption in Australia from 2019 to 2020 coincided with national policy changes that aimed to reduce consumption of prescription opioids. The overall declining trend in consumption was suggestive of the effectiveness of national interventions in reducing pharmaceutical opioid use. Wastewater-based epidemiology provides an effective approach for assessing the effectiveness of controlled substances policy changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Cobus Gerber
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Jason Connor
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Queensland, Herston, Australia
| | - Bill Loveday
- Healthcare Protection and Regulation Branch, Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Australia
| | - Richard Bade
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Jake O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Emma L Jaunay
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Bradley S Simpson
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Gary Chan
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Wayne Hall
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
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Koch FC, Olivier J, Brett J, Buckley NA, Gisev N, Pearson S, Daniels B. The impact of tightened prescribing restrictions for PBS-subsidised opioid medicines and the introduction of half-pack sizes, Australia, 2020-21: an interrupted time series analysis. Med J Aust 2024; 220:315-322. [PMID: 38522006 DOI: 10.5694/mja2.52257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the impact of the tightened Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescribing rules for immediate release (IR) and controlled release (CR) opioid medicines (1 June 2020), which also eliminated repeat dispensing without authorisation for codeine/paracetamol and tramadol IR and introduced half-pack size item codes for IR formulations. DESIGN, SETTING Population-based interrupted time series analysis of PBS dispensing data claims for a 10% sample of PBS-eligible residents and IQVIA national opioid medicine sales data (PBS-subsidised and private prescriptions), 28 May 2018 - 6 June 2021. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mean amount of PBS-subsidised opioid medicines dispensed per day and mean overall amount sold per day - each expressed as oral morphine equivalent milligrams (OME) - overall, by formulation type (IR, CR), and by specific formulation. RESULTS During the twelve months following the PBS changes, daily PBS-subsidised opioid medicine dispensing was 81 565 OME lower (95% CI, -106 146 to -56 984 OME) than the mean daily level for 2018-20, a decline of 3.8% after adjusting for the pre-intervention trend; the relative reduction was greater for IR (8.4%) than CR formulations (2.6%). Total daily sales of all, IR formulation, and CR formulation opioid medicines did not change significantly after the PBS changes. Repeat dispensing of prescriptions comprised 7.4% of PBS-subsidised opioid dispensing before 1 June 2020, and 1.3% after the changes. Half-pack sizes comprised 8.4% of PBS-subsidised IR opioid medicine dispensing and 2.8% of all opioid medicines sold in the twelve months after the PBS changes. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of new PBS rules for subsidised opioid medicines was followed by a decline in PBS-subsidised dispensing. Some people may have bypassed the new restrictions by switching to private prescriptions, but our findings suggest that opioid medicine use in Australia declined as a result of the new restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jake Olivier
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
- Transport and Road Safety Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
| | | | | | - Natasa Gisev
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
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McDonald R, Eide D, Skurtveit S, Clausen T. Pills and the damage done: the opioid epidemic as man-made crisis. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1241404. [PMID: 38283292 PMCID: PMC10820717 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1241404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The prescription opioid epidemic has slowly evolved over the past quarter century with increasingly detrimental consequences for public health. Man-made crises are often unforeseen and characterized by a situation without natural causes where - because of human intent, error, negligence, or the failure of manmade systems - the level of needs in the population exceeds available resources to counter the problem. This paper presents the prescription opioid epidemic as a man-made crisis and explores the public health impact of opioid manufacturers and other industries producing commodities with addictive potential as a shared vulnerability among countries. We examine this concept within the framework of the commercial determinants of health. We address three key aspects of the commercial determinants of health: (1) Cross-industry mechanisms, (2) policy inertia, and (3) the role of industry in science. Within cross-industry mechanisms, we explore parallels between prescription opioid epidemic and unhealthy commodity industries in terms of marketing, corporate use of misinformation, and diversionary tactics. Next, we examine how policy inertia has dominated the slow response to this man-made crisis. Lastly, we discuss how results from clinical trials are used as a key marketing strategy for drugs. The origins of the prescription opioid epidemic may be traced to innovations in drug development with the promise of improved pain management. However, through multiple factors, including fraudulent marketing from pharmaceutical industry and policy inertia, the resulting crisis represents a multi-system failure of regulation exploited by corporate greed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca McDonald
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research (SERAF), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Desiree Eide
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research (SERAF), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Svetlana Skurtveit
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research (SERAF), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Chronic Diseases, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Thomas Clausen
- Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research (SERAF), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Wu Y, Wang A, Fu L, Liu M, Li K, Chian S, Yao W, Wang B, Wang J. Fentanyl Induces Novel Conditioned Place Preference in Adult Zebrafish, Disrupts Neurotransmitter Homeostasis, and Triggers Behavioral Changes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13533. [PMID: 36294112 PMCID: PMC9603063 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Abuse of new psychoactive substances increases risk of addiction, which can lead to serious brain disorders. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid commonly used in clinical practice, and behavioral changes resulting from fentanyl addiction have rarely been studied with zebrafish models. In this study, we evaluated the rewarding effects of intraperitoneal injections of fentanyl at concentrations of 10, 100, and 1000 mg/L on the group shoaling behavior in adult zebrafish. Additional behavioral tests on individual zebrafish, including novel tank, novel object exploration, mirror attack, social preference, and T-maze memory, were utilized to evaluate fentanyl-induced neuro-behavioral toxicity. The high doses of 1000 mg/L fentanyl produced significant reward effects in zebrafish and altered the neuro-behavioral profiles: reduced cohesion in shoaling behavior, decreased anxiety levels, reduced exploratory behavior, increased aggression behavior, affected social preference, and suppressed memory in an appetitive associative learning task. Behavioral changes in zebrafish were shown to be associated with altered neurotransmitters, such as elevated glutamine (Gln), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine hydrochloride (DA), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). This study identified potential fentanyl-induced neurotoxicity through multiple neurobehavioral assessments, which provided a method for assessing risk of addiction to new psychoactive substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanzhao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Anli Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-Food Processing, Fuli Institute of Food Science, College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lixiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
- Office of Criminal Science and Technology, Xiaoshan District Branch of Hangzhou Public Security Bureau, Hangzhou 310002, China
| | - Meng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Kang Li
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Song Chian
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Weixuan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Binjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jiye Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Prevention and Control Technology of Zhejiang Province, The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou 310053, China
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Maciel CB, Barlow B, Lucke-Wold B, Gobinathan A, Abu-Mowis Z, Peethala MM, Merck LH, Aspide R, Dickinson K, Miao G, Shan G, Bilotta F, Morris NA, Citerio G, Busl KM. Acute Headache Management for Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: An International Survey of Health Care Providers. Neurocrit Care 2022; 38:395-406. [PMID: 35915347 DOI: 10.1007/s12028-022-01571-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe headaches are common after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Guidelines recommend treatment with acetaminophen and opioids, but patient data show that headaches often persist despite multimodal treatment approaches. Considering an overall slim body of data for a common complaint affecting patients with SAH during their intensive care stay, we set out to assess practice patterns in headache management among clinicians who treat patients with SAH. METHODS We conducted an international cross-sectional study through a 37-question Web-based survey distributed to members of five professional societies relevant to intensive and neurocritical care from November 2021 to January 2022. Responses were characterized through descriptive analyses. Fisher's exact test was used to test associations. RESULTS Of 516 respondents, 329 of 497 (66%) were from North America and 121 of 497 (24%) from Europe. Of 435 respondents, 379 (87%) reported headache as a major management concern for patients with SAH. Intensive care teams were primarily responsible for analgesia during hospitalization (249 of 435, 57%), whereas responsibility shifted to neurosurgery at discharge (233 of 501, 47%). Most used medications were acetaminophen (90%), opioids (66%), corticosteroids (28%), and antiseizure medications (28%). Opioids or medication combinations including opioids were most frequently perceived as most effective by 169 of 433 respondents (39%, predominantly intensivists), followed by corticosteroids or combinations with corticosteroids (96 of 433, 22%, predominantly neurologists). Of medications prescribed at discharge, acetaminophen was most common (303 of 381, 80%), followed by opioids (175 of 381, 46%) and antiseizure medications (173 of 381, 45%). Opioids during hospitalization were significantly more prescribed by intensivists, by providers managing higher numbers of patients with SAH, and in Europe. At discharge, opioids were more frequently prescribed in North America. Of 435 respondents, 299 (69%) indicated no change in prescription practice of opioids with the opioid crisis. Additional differences in prescription patterns between continents and providers and while inpatient versus at discharge were found. CONCLUSIONS Post-SAH headache in the intensive care setting is a major clinical concern. Analgesia heavily relies on opioids both in use and in perception of efficacy, with no reported change in prescription patterns for opioids for most providers despite the significant drawbacks of opioids. Responsibility for analgesia shifts between hospitalization and discharge. International and provider-related differences are evident. Novel treatment strategies and alignment of prescription between providers are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina B Maciel
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, McKnight Brain Institute, L3-100, 1149 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Brooke Barlow
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Florida Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Brandon Lucke-Wold
- Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Arravintha Gobinathan
- Departments of Microbiology and Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Zaid Abu-Mowis
- Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Mounika Mukherjee Peethala
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, McKnight Brain Institute, L3-100, 1149 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA
| | - Lisa H Merck
- Department of Emergency Medicine College of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Raffaele Aspide
- Anesthesia and Neurointensive Care Unit, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Bologna, Italy
| | - Katie Dickinson
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, McKnight Brain Institute, L3-100, 1149 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA
| | - Guanhong Miao
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Guogen Shan
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Research Design and Data Coordinating Center, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Federico Bilotta
- Department of Anesthesiology, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicholas A Morris
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Giuseppe Citerio
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Neurointensive Care Unit, San Gerardo Hospital, ASST-Monza, Monza, Italy
| | - Katharina M Busl
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, McKnight Brain Institute, L3-100, 1149 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA. .,Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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6
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Humphreys K, Marsden J. Synthesizing advice to the United States from other nations that have experienced drug epidemics. Addiction 2022; 117:1202-1203. [PMID: 35373483 DOI: 10.1111/add.15863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Keith Humphreys
- Veterans Affairs and Stanford University Medical Centers, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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