The COVID-19 pandemic is at the forefront of our minds, but the enduring opioid crisis appears to be raging right under our noses without any signs of giving up! Compliance with DEA is more crucial now. Opioids – derived from the opium poppy plant – are legally manufactured drugs that are subject to controlled substance regulations, and for good reason at that. While they should be primarily used to treat protracted pain conditions that are associated with surgery or cancer treatment, medical practitioners even prescribe these scheduled drugs for other chronic conditions like back and joint pains. Opioid medications like oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine are actually pretty effective in muffling the perception of pain in the body. However, fact is that the same drugs also boost the feelings of pleasure in the body which makes users want to continue experiencing those feelings. At times, the brain even starts believing that the drug is necessary for survival. This obviously leads to addiction over time. While the initial low doses only make the users feel lazy and sleepy, as the body gets used to the dose, it demands more and more. This can prove to be life-threatening over time, as continued use of higher doses can slow the breathing and heart rate, even leading to death. Opioid abuse is not just limited to the prescription pain relievers. There are synthetic versions (fentanyl) and even heroin that are either illicitly manufactured or trafficked into the country. These are not only illegally used, but often combined with other drugs or alcohol which compounds the risks even further. The statistics are staggering. Nearly seventy thousand people in the United States died of opioid-related overdoses in 2020, the highest annual toll on record.Millions of other Americans suffer from the side effects of the addiction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total ‘economic burden’ of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is continuously exacerbating the crisis ever more! Efforts to control the raging epidemic Opioids are classified as Schedule II drugs under the Controlled Substances Act and federal regulators are doing everything possible to limit the domestic supply. Pharmaceutical companies are advised to reduce the production of certain opioids while limits have been instituted on the prescription of opioids as well. There are sustained crackdowns on foreign opioids and trafficking is being dealt with a heavy hand. The DEA (Drug Enforcement Authority) is also being extremely circumspect in its efforts to deter the growing abuse and keeping a watchful eye on physicians, veterinarians, pharmacies and hospitals that prescribe or handle such highly-addictive substances. Staying in compliance with the controlled substances regulations and veterinary DEA regulations has become all the more crucial in this high-risk scenario that has even been declared a public health emergency. Medical practitioners have to stay alert on their part, not only to comply with the regulations, but also in the interests of keeping the community safe and healthy!
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April 2023
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