title: Opioid Use and Overdose: What We've Learned in Ontario.
abstract: The dramatic rise in prescription opioid use in the past two decades across Canada and the United States has been accompanied by increased rates of adverse events, including premature death and neonatal abstinence syndrome. In Ontario, policies and programs designed to address inappropriate prescribing have been implemented with varying degrees of success. Emerging issues that require ongoing attention include the introduction of abuse-deterrent formulations of opioids and generic versions of long-acting oxycodone. As issues related to opioid misuse, abuse and premature overdose death continue to evolve, it is clear that they can only be addressed by more cautious prescribing practices and the provision of support to those already suffering from addiction.
authors.affiliation: The co-principal investigator of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network, an assistant professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto and a scientist at the Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital and at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Head of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. He is a medical toxicologist at the Ontario Poison Information Centre, a senior scientist at ICES and professor of medicine, pediatrics and health policy, management and evaluation at the University of Toronto.
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Juurlink
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016568:Drugs, Generic; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing; D009864:Ontario; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D016568:Drugs, Generic