So, Health Canada has finally added tramadol to Schedule 1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Good move, but let’s not forget a few things.
/1
gazette.gc.ca
Good move, but let’s not forget a few things.
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gazette.gc.ca
First, Health Canada initially proposed scheduling tramadol in 2007.
(Yes, 2007. The year the iPhone was introduced.)
/2
tbs-sct.gc.ca
(Yes, 2007. The year the iPhone was introduced.)
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tbs-sct.gc.ca
Maybe you’re wondering: “If scheduling tramadol was the right thing to do in 2007, why did they wait 15 years to do it?"
In a word (their word): stakeholders
In another word: pharma
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In a word (their word): stakeholders
In another word: pharma
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In other words, corporate lobbying dissuaded Health Canada from classifying a drug as its pharmacology demands.
I wrote about this in 2017.
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theglobeandmail.com
I wrote about this in 2017.
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theglobeandmail.com
Health Canada’s malleability here would almost be comical if it hadn't harmed people.
Like this patient of mine, who in 2015 was prescribed tramadol by a doctor who inferred from its unscheduled status that must be safer than conventional opioids.
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thestar.com
Like this patient of mine, who in 2015 was prescribed tramadol by a doctor who inferred from its unscheduled status that must be safer than conventional opioids.
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thestar.com
Don’t blame the doctor for “not understanding” the drug. This same scenario played out countless times across the country.
The fact is that scheduling matters, which is precisely why tramadol's manufacturers sought to avoid it.
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The fact is that scheduling matters, which is precisely why tramadol's manufacturers sought to avoid it.
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Anyway, good on you @GovCanHealth for finally scheduling tramadol where it belongs. Shame it took 15 years though.
Maybe stop taking pharma's calls? Just a thought.
/fin
Maybe stop taking pharma's calls? Just a thought.
/fin
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