VANCOUVER — British Columbia's fledgling network for research into drug abuse has released new provincial guidelines for doctors and nurses on treating people addicted to opioids.
The new protocols, established by the B.C. Centre for Substance Use, mark a shift away from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. as the body responsible for developing provincewide treatment protocols related to the overdose crisis.
An introductory note in the document says by June, the guidelines will replace those previously established by the college.
The new guidelines discourage solitary withdrawal treatment and recommend buprenorphine and naloxone as first-line medications.
They also propose eventually using lower-intensity treatments, such as take-home dosing.
The centre's inaugural director, Dr. Evan Wood, and Health Minister Terry Lake revealed the new guidelines at a news conference that announced $5 million in immediate funding from the province for the research network, along with $1.9 million per year in additional ongoing support.
Wood says two of the centre's main areas of focus are clinical studies examining the efficacy of slow-release oral morphine, and research into offering better support for people in recovery so that patients are not simply treated then discharged into the community without help or followup.
