KILL PAINKILLERS

GPs should no longer prescribe paracetamol for chronic pain

PAINKILLERS from opioids to paracetamol should no longer be prescribed by GPs for chronic pain, a landmark ruling has found.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence concluded there was no evidence pills including ibuprofen “made any difference to people’s quality of life, pain or psychological distress”.

The long-awaited draft guidance on chronic pain said there was evidence painkillers cause harm, including addiction. It is seen as an attempt to wean people off from being a nation of pill poppers after a Public Health England review found millions are addicted.

It relates to “chronic primary pain” suffered by millions and for which medics cannot pinpoint a specific cause. A third to half of the population suffer, NICE estimated.

GPs should instead offer supervised group exercise programmes, counselling acupuncture as treatment.

Nick Kosky, chair of the guideline committee, warned of the risks of “prescribing ineffective but harmful drugs”. or

Other drugs that should no longer be offered were ketamine, corticosteroids, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines.

GPs should explain the “risks of continuing”. “If a shared decision is made to stop... be aware of the problems associated with withdrawal,” the guidance said.

Eytan Alexander, managing director of the drug rehab firm UKAT, said: “Prescription drug addiction is as real as a heroin addiction, but the addict gets their drugs from their GP.”

The draft is open for public consultation until August 14.