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CALGARY (660 NEWS) – A call has been made to reduce opioid prescriptions in Canada and one study suggests that doctors contribute to the current opioid crisis.
The study highlights statistics that show that on average 11 people die each day from an accidental overdose.
A Toronto-based group, the Reformulary Group, is urging the medical community to reduce prescription drugs, saying over-prescribing is a contributing factor.
Helen Stevenson, CEO, says that in many cases, prescriptions are not necessary.
"There are certainly inappropriate prescriptions," she says. "And I know that recently in the press, there have been stories about children being caught for wisdom teeth and being prescribed narcotics."
She says that even the necessary prescriptions can be dangerous.
"There are people who take opioids that take a lot more than the recommended daily dose."
Stevenson admits that reducing prescriptions will not be enough to end the crisis.
But, she adds, this could prevent cases where some patients would increase their consumption to potentially lethal doses.
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