First ever paid prescription fentanyl program rolled out in B.C.

The program"s making powdered fentanyl available by paid prescription in Vancouver. The thinking is that a safe and consistent supply removes the need to interact with the criminal drug world which brings stability to the patient's life. The opioid crisis continues to take a toll in B.C., with an average of six people dying of illicit drug poisoning every day. Fentanyl's the street drug of choice but increasingly it's being cut with various toxic substances, including benzodiazepines and carfentanil, a much more potent analogue of fentanyl. The organization running the program says the goal to meet substance users where they are at, instead of administering alternatives like Dilaudid that patients may not find helpful. It hopes the model can be scaled up quickly in other locations.