Opioid crisis warning for Britain

THE UK could see an opioid crisis approaching that already seen in the US over the next five years, a leading doctor has warned.

The ease with which over-thecounter opioids such as codeine can be bought in pharmacies and online is explored in a BBC Two documentary, Addicted To Painkillers? Britain’s Opioid Crisis.

Dr Michael Mosley, who presents the programme, discovered British pharmacies selling opioids without applying standard guidelines, and also purchased strong prescription-grade opioids online under a fake name.

The Horizon programme explores how the drugs, from the same family as heroin, are being widely prescribed to treat chronic pain, despite inconclusive evidence on whether they are effective for long-term management.

Long-term use can put patients at risk of constipation, drowsiness, addiction and accidental death by overdose.

Dr Mosley asked Salford GP Dr Nicholas Browne if he could imagine a situation in Britain similar to the US, which has seen thousands of deaths linked to opioid misuse.

He replied: “Yes, I can. And it is something that’s very much on my mind and very much of a concern or worry, that we are already seeing signs that that’s happening, and I can see very easily slipping into that over – in the not too distant future – the medium term, the next five years, that we will start seeing progressively increasing accidental overdose rate.”

More than half of all drug poisoning deaths each year since 2006 involved an opiate, according to the Office for National Statistics.

An opiate was mentioned on the death certificate in 2,208 drug poisoning deaths in 2018.

Prescriptions have more than doubled in 20 years and 5.6 million adults – one in eight – in England were prescribed an opioid in 2017/18, according to Public Health England. Its report revealed more than half a million people prescribed opioids have been on them continuously for more than three years.

Pharmacists also told the BBC they were concerned about controls in place to prevent misuse.

The programme airs on Thursday at 9pm on BBC Two.