Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety
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Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf · May 2019
Impact of delisting high-strength opioid formulations from a public drug benefit formulary on opioid utilization in Ontario, Canada.
High-strength opioid formulations were delisted (removed) from Ontario's public drug formulary in January 2017, except for palliative patients. We evaluated the impact of this policy on opioid utilization and dosing. ⋯ The delisting of publicly-funded, high-strength opioids was accompanied by changes in funding source and small reductions in the weekly median daily doses dispensed. Although observed dose reductions of less than 1 MME weekly are likely not clinically relevant, safety implications of these changes require further monitoring.