Statistics showing a high level of opioid dependence and abuse in the United States (80 percent) compared to the rest of the globe has propelled the country’s Food and Drug Administration agency to approve an anti-addiction treatment in the form of a drug-emitting implant known as “Probuphine”. The first of its kind implant is injected into the patient’s arm, releasing buprenorphine in substantial doses to lessen opioid cravings in patients, as well as manage its related negative effects.
One of the deadliest effects of constant opioid use is a resultant addiction of its derivatives – including heroin – in individuals. Opioid addiction is responsible for thousands of deaths in the United States annually, due to frequent cases of overdose. And although a section of medical practitioners globally prefer anti-addiction programmes which rely on abstinence and detoxification, the United States National Institute on Drug Abuse verifies that anti-addiction drugs are proving to be more effective in the long run.
The known ‘feel-good’ after effects of opioid have made it a go-to substance for most individuals in the US, whether it is legally prescribed or not, thereby serving as the cause of the adverse effects gotten from its recreational overuse and consequent addiction. In the last two years, 28,000 Americans have died from opioid-related overdoses. Given the figures therefore, the need for the United States to come up with innovative ways to tackle its drug abuse problem is pertinent.
However, another suggestion for getting rid of the America’s opioid problem could be to donate their excess to the developing parts of the world, such as Nigeria, that still struggle to gain access to the pain relieving drug. Or at least collaborate with them to help tackle their shortage. Every year, patients suffering from cancer and other health conditions which often expose them to excruciating levels of pain die because of the absence of necessary treatment.
Opioid offers a lot of benefits in the medical industry, especially serving as a major pain relieving and anaesthetic drug. According to a report from The Economist, while Nigeria has seen an increase in importing pain relievers, insufficiency, distribution, access, and affordability continue to pose as challenges in the country for both patients and the healthcare system.
In March, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) noted that a lack of access to opioids, which also involves centralization of distribution centres, is raising a serious health concern in the country. The agency however assured Nigerians that it was working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the International Narcotics Control Board to provide the country with adequate access to opioids.
