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Gilberto Gerra Drug Prevention and Health Branch

Access to controlled drugs for medical purposes: a commitment for the international community. Gilberto Gerra Drug Prevention and Health Branch. The Single Convention recognizes the medical use of narcotic drugs as indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering

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Gilberto Gerra Drug Prevention and Health Branch

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  1. Access to controlled drugs for medical purposes: a commitment for the international community Gilberto Gerra Drug Prevention and Health Branch

  2. The Single Convention recognizes the medical use of narcotic drugs as indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering and that adequate provision must be made to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs for this purpose. 1961 Single Convention, as amended by the 1972 Protocol INCB WHO UNODC International drug control system National drug control system

  3. Resolution 53/4 and Resolution 54/6 of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs Promote adequate availability of internationally controlled drugs for medical and scientific purposes, while preventing their diversion and abuse Access to controlled medications not existent or almost not existent in many countries

  4. 2010

  5. Protecting the health of people from the dangerous effects of drugs is not in conflict with promoting the medical and scientific use of controlled drugs

  6. Medical purpose: indispensable Non-medical purpose: not permitted The risk of a double failure

  7. Morphine Fentanyl Pentazocine Pain treatment Anaesthesia Myocardial infarction acute treatment

  8. Appetite control in obese patients ADHD Narcolepsy ADHD Cocaine addiction (promising)

  9. Piperazines • Clozapine • Olanzapine • 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxy-1- benzylpiperazine(2C-B-BZP) • 1-Benzylpiperazine (BZP) • 2,3-Dichlorophenylpiperazine (DCPP) • 4-Chlorophenylpiperazine(pCPP) • Sold as ecstasy • Stimulant / hallucinogenic effects Modern anti-psychotic drugs

  10. SubstAbuse. 1989;1(4):431-51. A review of the history, actions, and legitimate uses of cocaine. Brain PF,Coward GA Cocaine Local anaesthetic Reducing bleeding Surgery of ear, nose and throat

  11. Ketamine: used for animals in high income countries used for humans in low income countries A dissociative anaesthetic NMDA antagonist (glutamate antagonist)

  12. Pain relief recognized as part of the human right to the highest attainable standards of mental and physical health Opioid medications essential for treatment of moderate to severe pain

  13. Pain affects quality of life Helplessness and hopelessness

  14. Access imbalance for the world’s population 5.5 billion (83%): low or non-existent access 250 million (4%): moderate access 460 million (7%): adequate access 430 million (6%): insufficient data WHO, 2011

  15. Every year: 5.5 million terminal cancer pain 1.0 million HIV/AIDS end-stage 800.000 lethal injuries accidents and violence 110 million women labour Surgery (80% insufficient anaesthesia) WHO, 2011

  16. Global annual consumption of morphine equivalent 61.66 mg per person • fentanyl, • hydromorphone, • morphine • oxycodone Source: • pethidine INCB 2011 and Pain and Policy Studies Group

  17. Disparity in the global consumption or access to pain medication • High income countries: • 812 - 749 ME/mg/cap • Low income countries: • 0.014 - 0.015 ME/mg/cap • High income countries 17 % of population account 92% of medical morphine

  18. Provisions of the Conventions • Government import-export authorization • Provision to the INCB annually of estimates of medical and scientific needs for narcotic drugs • Record-keeping by governmental authorities and persons engaged in manufacture, trade and distribution, and conduct of inspections by government • Requirement of medical prescriptions for supply or dispensation to individuals • Prohibition of advertising to the general public with due regard to constitutional provisions • Requirement of adequate labelling • Requirements for commercial documents • Prohibition of export to post office box • Establishment of penal provisions for contraventions of the above requirements

  19. Unnecessary barriers • Limitations on the number of days” supply that may be provided in a single prescription; • Limitations on doses that may be prescribed in a single prescription; • Excessive limitations on prescription authority, such as only to some categories of medical doctors; • Special prescription procedures for opioids, for example, the use of specific prescription forms, which may be difficult to obtain, and/or a requirement that multiple copies of the prescription be maintained; • Requirements that patients receive special permission or registration to render them eligible to receive opioid prescriptions; • Excessive penalties and prosecutions for unintentional mis-prescription or mishandling of opioids; • Arbitrary restrictions on the number of pharmacies permitted to dispense opioid medications; • Unreasonable requirements relating to the storage of opioid medications.

  20. Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products Drug Prevention and Health Branch GLO-K67 WHO Union for International Cancer Control

  21. To remove the barriers Financial (cost of medications/distribution) Legal (national legislation overruling) Logistic (distribution/storage modality) Cultural (mentality attitude) Professionals qualification (ignorance)

  22. Prepare a new generation of: Health professionals Policy makers Law makers Family to family programs: Public opinion mentality

  23. To avoid diversion and abuse appropriate rules in line with the Conventions systematic monitoring case by case management interpersonal relationship patient/doctor: therapeutic alliance

  24. Electronic monitoring system Registration of prescribers Protection of confidentiality (code/not name) Easy access for prescribers Technology to connect the entire health system Pharmacies system engaged Screening corruption cases

  25. providing drugs together with interpersonal relationships, compassion and support

  26. The fear to create dependence (!) Drug dependence / addiction is not related to the drug effects only Psychobiological vulnerability Complex series of risk factors not affecting patients with pain

  27. full respect for individuals attitude, culture, religion and concrete needs complex questions about pain, suffering and mankind condition

  28. UNODC Program GLO-K67 UNODC / WHO/ UICC 2013-2014 Pilot project in Ghana Activities: Training for policy makers Training for health professionals Revision of national legislation

  29. Help Member States to improve availability of and accessibility to controlled drugs for medical purposes Help Member States to control diversion misuse and abuse

  30. Australia supporting UNODC Global Program on Access to Pain Medications (GLO-K67)for 2 years

  31. The suffering of any human being is my suffering…

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