Health and Community Services
May 19, 2016

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services:

Minister Announces New Safe Prescribing Course Coming for Health Care Providers

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in this Honourable House today to announce that a new safe prescribing course is being developed for health professionals in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The abuse and misuse of prescription drugs have become significant issues both in our province and across all of Canada. As a government, we have opted to take concrete actions to address these issues here at home, and this initiative represents one of those actions.

The new training tool comes at the recommendation of Newfoundland and Labrador's multi-stakeholder advisory Committee on the Abuse of Prescription Medications. It identified increased education as a keystone for reducing inappropriate prescribing of certain targeted medications - namely opioids, stimulants and benzodiazepines. These three drug types are the most commonly abused and misused prescription medications in Canada.

The new course has been developed in partnership with Memorial University's Faculty of Medicine and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is expected to launch in January.

It will be mandatory for all new physicians seeking a license in the province, and will also be available to other health care provider groups who prescribe these medications, such as nurse practitioners, dentists and pharmacists.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

New Course Promotes Safe Prescribing

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2016 05 19                              1:50 p.m.