Curb opioid misuse by introducing prescribing guidelines, tracking prescriptions at the patient level, and increasing transparency in marketing and promotion of therapies.

What success looks like

A reduction in inappropriate prescription of opioids, improved tracking of prescriptions, and better management of transitions where opioids are no longer required so as to reduce opioid dependency.

Government's narrative on progress

The government is working with provinces, territories, and partners to address prescribing practices and prescription monitoring in Canada. The government funded the Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre at McMaster University to update the Canadian Guideline for safe and effective use of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain. The updated Guideline was published on May 8, 2017. The government is collaborating with provinces and territories through the Problematic Substance Use and Harms Committee to share lessons learned and best practices in prescription monitoring. In January 2018, Health Canada hosted a working session with provinces and territories to develop national standards for prescription monitoring programs. The government is also exploring options to restrict the marketing of opioids to healthcare professionals. On June 19, 2018, the Minister of Health announced a series of measures to address industry's opioid marketing and advertising practices, including the publication of a notice of intent to restrict marketing and advertising of opioids, and launching consultations with provinces, territories and stakeholders. Health Canada further consulted stakeholders during the Opioid Symposium in Toronto on September 5, 2018. In December 2018, Health Canada published a summary of the feedback received on the June 2018 Notice of Intent to restrict the marketing and advertising of opioids. Health Canada will continue to engage with provinces, territories and stakeholders in the coming months. Canada's Food and Drug Regulations were recently amended to require that a warning sticker and patient information handout be provided to patients, at the time of sale, with all prescription opioids that appear in Part A of the “List of Opioids.” These requirements came into force on October 23, 2018. Also as of October 2018, Health Canada now requires that all materials regarding opioid products that companies intend to provide to health care professionals are pre-cleared, ensuring the materials to be disseminated are evidence-based, balanced and compliant with Health Canada's advertising regulatory framework. On March 11, 2019, the Minister of Health proposed additional restrictions on the marketing and advertising of Class B opioid products provided to health care professionals. The proposed additional terms and conditions would restrict all advertising materials of Class B opioids provided to health care professionals to only statements that have been authorized by Health Canada in the Product Monograph. Health Canada continues to work with manufacturers to update the labelling of all prescription opioid products to include enhanced information about their risks for prescribers and patients.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.