Expanding prescribed safer-supply drugs to include injectable heroin and smokeable fentanyl — as recommended by the provincial health officer — may sound controversial, but it’s a practical public-health measure, says an Island Health drug expert.
The recommendation about expanding safer-supply drugs was included in Dr. Bonnie Henry’s 96-page experts review, released last week, aimed at maximizing the benefits of prescribed safer supply and mitigating potential harms. The toxic-drug crisis saw a record 2,511 deaths last year. Henry said the expanded supply would at first be prescribed by a clinician and consumed in a supervised health-care setting, but could later expand to a non-prescription model, where the drugs are consumed in a non-medical setting once a strong relationship between a client and clinician is established.The Opposition BC United also wants all safer-supply drug consumption done by prescription and witnessed so the drugs don’t leave the health-care setting.
“Once you do fentanyl for a long time, your body kind of needs that,” said Sarasin, who was on the streets six years ago until he was successful in recovery. “Individual programs and clinicians are responsible for managing waitlists and are encouraged to report increasing patient need to health authorities so they can be addressed,” the ministry said in a statement.
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