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Take Home Naloxone program – who is this really aimed at helping?

I’ve had a few issues with Australia’s Take Home Naloxone program, most specifically the way it has been marketed. The constant implication is that chronic...

“Life is a misery” for chronic pain patients force tapered off opioids

This article was shared by Chronic Pain Australia, the consumer voice for Australian’s living with chronic pain, as part of National Pain Week.  https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/breaking-the-vicious-cycle-of-chronic-pain/ It...

People on long term opioid therapy are ‘irrational’ and unable to engage in shared decision making, according to Dr Mark Sullivan

In my many years working as a patient advocate, in the area of chronic pain, I have seen and heard a lot of…garbage.  People talk...

Chronic Primary Pain vs Chronic Secondary Pain – what is the difference?

I have been working as a patient advocate in chronic pain for many years. As I have learned about chronic pain, the science, and the...

Opioid Reduction Strategy Backfires – reduced opioid use during surgery leads to increased opioid use and increased rates of chronic pain

In recent years, as part of the fear campaign against the use of opioids in pain management, there has been a push to use less,...

Opioids and Back and Neck Pain: OPAL Study – Exposing Biased, Flawed Research and Misleading Claims

Today in the media, I see a story on opioids and back and neck pain titled Opioids don’t help acute back and neck pain –...

Chronic Pain Overview

Chronic pain is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Chronic Pain is defined as pain that occurs every day (or most days)...

People can taper off opioids without increasing pain. Except that’s a lie.

Study: Reducing Opioid Use for Chronic Pain With a Group-Based Intervention.  A Randomized Clinical Trial Ok, so here we go again. Another study, making headlines,...

Petition against FORCED TAPERING OF OPIOID PAIN MEDICATION

In June 2020, the Australian government, via the TGA, increased restrictions around the prescription of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. While these are well intentioned,...