Concern over increase use of opioids for spinal pain
12th July 2017
New figures showing that GPs are increasingly favouring opioids for patients with back pain are disappointing, but not unexpected, a musculoskeletal specialist GP says.
Dr Serguei Kisselev, a Tasmanian GP and president of the Australian Association of Musculoskeletal Medicine, is urging GPs to consider more non-drug treatments for patients with spinal pain.
His warning comes on the back of new BEACH study data showing a 40% increase in use of single-ingredient opioid analgesics such as oxycodone and tramadol in primary care.
The 10