Hundreds of naturopathic doctors in British Columbia will now be able to prescribe ‘safer supplies’ and other drugs to treat substance use disorders, becoming part of the province’s response to the toxic drug crisis. I would like to take on the role of This is because existing regulations do not give their profession such authority.
The BC Association of Naturopathic Doctors announced in a news release Thursday that more than 250 naturopathic doctors have enrolled in the province’s training program to prescribe common medications for opioid use disorder, such as methadone. The association says 50 members from 30 communities have already started training.
BCND president Vanessa Lindsay, a Vancouver-based naturopathic doctor, has also written to B.C.’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Jennifer Whiteside, asking for such prescribing authority. Mr Whiteside responded on Wednesday that the proposal had been forwarded to Health Minister Adrian Dix, who is responsible for the scope of practice of regulated health professionals under the Health Professions Act.
“We are in the midst of a medical crisis on so many fronts, and there are many ways naturopaths can help in the current crisis,” Dr. Lindsay said in an interview. “This is one area where he specifically needs providers and support.”
British Columbia is in the eighth year of a public health emergency declared in response to a spike in illicit drug deaths from increasingly toxic drugs. In 2023, at least 2,511 people died. This is a harrowing record that equates to approximately seven British Columbians every day.
The province’s Opioid Addiction Treatment Assistance Program, delivered through the BC Center for Substance Use, provides training and education on prescribing opioid agonist treatment, but also provides medical alternatives to toxic illicit drugs – a safer supply. It does not include interventions commonly referred to as.
The center says anyone can enroll in the online portion of the program, but only approved specialties, excluding naturopathic physicians, can complete the in-person instructional portion required for prescribing certification. Dr Lindsay said the lack of access for naturopathic doctors to their preceptorship positions is one barrier to further progress.
Prescribing authority ultimately rests with Health Canada, the Government of British Columbia, and regulatory universities, which will require changes to their respective regulations and provincial processes.
BC Naturopathic Doctors were given the power to prescribe certain medications in 2009. There are currently more than 700 certified naturopathic doctors in the province, and more than 85% are prescribing, according to BCND.
In September 2021, British Columbia opens its doors to allow registered nurses and psychiatric registered nurses to diagnose and treat substance use disorders, including prescribing controlled substances, becoming the first jurisdiction in Canada to do so. It became. This change was made permanent last November with a new designation for accredited clinics. This process included amending the British Columbia Government’s Registered Nurses and Registered Nurses Regulations, updating scope of practice documents, ordering controlled prescription pads, and ensuring access to PharmaNet. .
As of last August, 459 patients had prescriptions for methadone, Suboxone, or extended-release oral morphine filled by 48 registered nurses or registered psychiatric nurses.
A growing body of evidence shows that providing alternatives to the toxic drug supply can reduce overdose deaths and related harm. The first population-level evaluation of this controversial strategy, published in the British Medical Journal last month, found that British Columbians at risk of death from illicit opioid use would be less likely to die if prescribed. They were found to be 61 percent less likely to die from any cause in the following week. At least his daily supply of alternative medicines. Those who were prescribed the drug for four or more days were 91 percent less likely to die from any cause in the following week.
However, an estimated 225,000 people in British Columbia use illicit drugs, more than 100,000 of whom have been diagnosed with opioid use disorder, but only about 4,200 have access to prescribed alternatives. Part of the challenge is its resource-intensive nature for clinicians. Prescriptions are tailored to each patient.
Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry recommends expanding access by providing medicines through multidisciplinary clinics and health authority overdose prevention sites, but experts convened by the B.C. The House Committee recommended eliminating the need for prescriptions, the latter of which the state has adopted. I was rejected many times.
