Warning to doctors – misuse of fentanyl patches

The NSW Ministry of Health  has issued a warning to doctors about the risks associated with fentanyl patch misuse by patients. It is available to read here.

More detailed information is available from the Ministry’s web page on fentanyl patch misuse.

Know the rules

In NSW, if the patient is considered to be drug dependent, even if a legitimate pain condition exists, the practitioner must apply for an authority from NSW Ministry of Health prior to prescribing for an individual patient under the requirements of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act. Application forms are available from the NSW Health website.