By 2024, Canada was in the throes of a devastating public health crisis from the use of opioids. It was quite the crisis – 67 emergency room visits per day on average due to opioids. As healthcare professionals and public-health policymakers, we are alarmed. That’s the equivalent of an average of 15 hospitalizations and 99 emergency responses per day nationwide just from opioids. Sadly, for the next 20 years, the country would see an average of 20 deaths per day from these crashes.
The federal government’s report sheds light on the continuing struggle to tackle opioid-related devastation from coast to coast to coast. These provinces—Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia—don’t monitor opioid-related deaths in a national registry. These gaps in data leave an absence that can threaten strong policy and health care choices. All British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba provided detailed data for all age groups. In contrast, Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island limited their discussions to people aged 65 and older.
Dr. Wasem Alsabbagh emphasized the critical role of pharmacists in managing the opioid crisis. “Pharmacists are an essential part of the primary care team,” he stated. He pointed to their potential to offer critical, specialized advice to prescribers about specific prescriptions and best dosages for every single patient. They can push for policy at all levels that address inequities in opioid prescribing.
Dr. Alsabbagh noted that “disparities remain.” This observation underscores the need for continued vigilance and targeted interventions to ensure equitable access to care and resources across different communities.
These shocking numbers are a testament to the magnitude of Canada’s opioid crisis and point to the need for immediate action. The healthcare delivery system that serves those patients needs to evolve right along with them. It must address the disparities in opioid prescribing that have harmed lower-income communities at a higher rate.
