B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons lifts 'outdated' restriction on Suboxone to help overdose crisis

The B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons has removed a major barrier to prescribing Suboxone, a drug health researchers have said urgently needs to be more available to reduce escalating overdose deaths.

Suboxone itself doesn't stop an overdose, but is used to treat opioid addiction by stopping cravings and preventing withdrawal symptoms.

A major drug report last month called on the college to remove "outdated" restrictions on the pill, which is considered safer than methadone and has been credited with an 80 per cent reduction in fatal opioid overdoses in France.

"I think it will help many, many more people than are currently accessing methadone," said B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake.

• CBC INVESTIGATES: 'Outdated' restrictions on Suboxone making B.C.'s overdose crisis worse
• Increase in overdose deaths prompts B.C. to declare public health emergency

More changes coming, says college

The change, which came into effect July 1, means all B.C. doctors can prescribe Suboxone, and will no longer be required to hold an exemption to prescribe methadone.

"I think a physician who has limited knowledge of addiction but isn't really experienced would feel more confident prescribing Suboxone than methadone which is more complicated," said Dr. Ailve McNestry, deputy registrar for the college.

Access to the drug in rural areas is now expected to increase as a result, something researchers with the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse have said was strongly supported by evidence.

The new rules will also mean the college will no longer maintain a central registry of patients in the methadone program, reducing the paperwork requirement on doctors.

But other restrictions to Suboxone still exist, despite recommendations from doctors to change them months ago.

More changes to the guidelines are expected in coming months, the college wrote in a statement.

B.C. had 474 drug-related deaths last year, up 30 per cent over the previous year, prompting health officials to declare a public health emergency.