Dr. Dwight Moulin’s views expressed in your article are predicated on drug company propaganda and misinformation and underscores the need for proper medical education on the topics of addiction and appropriate opioid prescribing (“Doctor: CBC’s Oxy message dangerous,” March 22). This lack of evidence-based knowledge is the real danger, not the fifth estate’s documentary which brings much-needed attention to a systemic epidemic cloaked in a veil of legitimacy.
Drug company trials are insufficient to show the consequences and dangers of opioids for long-term use. Recent medical research has indicated opioid narcotics are neither safe nor effective long term. No one disputes there are patients who should be given narcotics, but this should be carefully considered after less harmful, non-addictive drugs have not worked and other alternatives have failed.
Abuse/misuse of opioids is not a precursor to addiction; it is the ‘use’ of opioid narcotics which poses the danger of addiction. Narcotics are highly addictive drugs, whether they are classified as licit or illicit substances, and have the same effect on the body and mind.
I think we all agree we need to see changes in the medical standard of care to much more cautious and judicious evidence based prescribing with patient safety as the top priority. An important question to ask is: What influence drug companies have on the medical community and who benefits?
Ada Giudice-Tompson
Vice-president, Advocates for the Reform of Prescription Opioids