The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, attended the Prescribing Practices Forum in Hamilton today, marking an important milestone in the federal government’s efforts to work closely with partners to tackle prescription drug abuse.
The Forum, funded by the Government of Canada and hosted by McMaster University, brings together regulatory authorities, health professionals, provinces and territories and experts to identify steps to improve prescribing practices, with the ultimate goal of reducing the abuse of prescription drugs.
During her address, the Minister underscored the Government’s commitment to fighting prescription drug abuse by announcing federal funding in the amount of nearly eight million dollars to support six projects focused on improving prescriber education and the development of a coordinated national approach for the monitoring and surveillance of prescription drugs.
Prescription drug abuse is a significant public health and safety concern in North America. Drugs like opioids, sedative-hypnotics and stimulants are legal when properly prescribed and have proven therapeutic benefits. However, when prescription drugs are over-prescribed, misused or abused, they also have a high potential for harm such as addiction, withdrawal, injury and death.
The Prescribing Practices Forum is one of several ways the Government is supporting initiatives to combat prescription drug abuse. Recent investments include 13.5 million dollars over five years to improve addictions prevention and treatment services for First Nations living on-reserve, and through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) we have expanded the national research network aimed at improving the health of Canadians living with substance abuse to include prescription drug abuse.
