Doctors fear ‘looming crisis’ in palliative care as opioid options dry up
A Mundipharma decision to discontinue key opioids will impact not only pain management but also surgery patients, Minister for Health told.
Doctors have warned the Federal Government that it needs to act to stop a looming crisis in palliative care and pain management due to clinicians’ decreasing access to vital opioid analgesics.
It follows the sudden announcement by Mundipharma last year that it is withdrawing supply of 5mg, 10mg and 20mg OxyNorm capsules (oxycodone hydrochloride); 30mg, 60mg, 90mg and 120mg MS Mono capsules (modified-release morphine sulfate), and 10mg and 20mg Sevredol tablets (morphine sulfate).
