An opioid prescribing practice standard for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) was associated with accelerated declines in opioid doses and high-dose prescribing in British Columbia (BC) but also with more aggressive and inappropriate dose tapering, a new analysis showed. In addition, the standard resulted in restricted access to opioids for patients who may have benefited from … Read more
Illicit drug toxicity is an “escalating public health emergency” in Canada that significantly affects adolescents, yet pediatricians are ill prepared to manage it, new research suggested. A study of more than 1000 pediatricians in Canada who care for young people aged 12-18 years found that while close to 14% reported caring for at least one … Read more
The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products has alerted healthcare professionals and parents about a concerning trend known as the “Paracetamol Challenge” that is gaining popularity, particularly on social media, among children and adolescents. This challenge involves the deliberate ingestion of toxic doses of paracetamol to evaluate one’s resistance and … Read more
Jakarta. A middle-ranking Jakarta police officer is under internal investigation for allegedly extorting two suspects involved in the April 2024 deaths of two teenage girls, demanding Rp 20 billion ($1.2 million) in exchange for dropping the case. The victims, aged 16 and 17, were found dead in South Jakarta, reportedly from a drug overdose. Their … Read more