Patient stories: the harms of opioid prescribing

16th September 2022 | David Andrassy

Guidance from NICE is clear that opioids are not indicated for chronic pain, and guidance from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (the professional body for doctors that specialise in pain) has been clear about the harm that can be caused.

NHS England has produced two videos that illustrate the harms of strong opioid prescribing in chronic pain:

Faye’s story

Faye’s story puts these potential dangers into reality by describing, from her parents’ perspective, the sequence of events that ultimately led to her untimely death from respiratory depression.

Sean’s story

Sean’s story describes how strong opioid prescribing had a devastating impact on his quality of life, and how he has engaged with more effective non-drug therapy that has been life-changing.

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