Should opioids be used for chronic non-cancer pain?

Awerbuch, Mark S

doi:10.5694/mja11.10624

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To the Editor: A report in the Weekend Australian earlier this year described an increase in oxycodone-associated deaths, in parallel with an increase in prescriptions for the drug, sometimes known as “hillbilly heroin”.1 These increases are likely to reflect a change in doctors’ prescribing behaviour.

Adelaide, SA.

Correspondence: mark@awerbuch.com.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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