• Rojanasak Thongkhamcharoen, Temsak Phungrassami, and Narumol Atthakul.
• Wang Chao Community Hospital, Wang Chao District, Tak, Thailand.
• Indian J Palliat Care. 2014 Jan 1;20(1):6-11.

ContextPalliative care in Thailand was not well developed in the past. Previous studies showed that the actual prescription of opioids was underutilized in palliative care by physicians compared with the estimated opioid need of patients. However, there were no studies regarding the regulation of opioids in Thailand.AimsTo provide an up-to-date overview of the role of multidisciplinary teams in the regulation of opioids in Thai government hospitals.Settings And DesignA questionnaire survey study was conducted from January to April 2012.Materials And MethodsThe questionnaire was distributed to entire population of government hospitals in Thailand and all private hospitals in Bangkok. There were 975 hospitals, including 93 private hospitals in Bangkok and 882 government hospitals.Statistical Analysis UsedResults are presented as a frequency and percentage.ResultsSpecial opioid prescription forms must be signed by doctors for all opioid prescriptions. Three-fourths of hospitals totally prohibited prescribing oral opioids by palliative care Advance Practice Nurses. Pharmacists were permitted to correct the technical errors on a prescription of oral morphine only after notifying the prescribing doctor in nearly 60% of hospitals. In terminal patients who could not go to the hospitals, caregivers were permitted to collect the opioids on behalf of patients in nearly 80% of hospitals.ConclusionOur results illustrate that the regulation of opioids in government hospitals is mainly dependent on physician judgment. Patients can only receive oral morphine at a hospital pharmacy.

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