Opioids are all over the news. Negative effects related to Opioid prescription fraud involving patients or pharmacists, to habitual abuse by prescribed patients and non-patients, to counterfeiting, and a path to heroin addiction, are getting national attention.
The pharmaceutical industry is focused on the rollout of the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA) and improving the “safety of the supply chain”. Unfortunately, the problems surrounding opioid abuse happen in or after pharmacy. Pharmacy safety and safe use by patients has been left out of DQSA. Yes, we need a secure channel but if that security doesn’t extend to the patient and we don’t facilitate proper use by the patient, a safe supply chain has not accomplished much.