Report suggests opioid-related harms may be a result of poor prescribing habits

According to a report from Reformulary Group, 92% of all deaths due to opioids are the result of accidental overdose. With one-fifth of public drug plan users and one-in-six private plan members being prescribed an opioid each year, the company says doctors' prescribing habits may be partly to blame for the epidemic. The report finds 10% of patients get their opioid dosages increased above 50 mg, while another 4% are received more than 90 mg of opioids per dose. Another issue that must be addressed, Reformulary Group adds, is that one-fifth of all opioid users are considered chronic and it's this group that accounts for two-thirds of all prescriptions.