Increasing worldwide access to medical opioids

Feb 10, 2016

Increasing worldwide access to medical opioids

The Lancet As the medical world began to understand the bacterial nature of infection, development of the hypodermic syringe in the mid 1800s led to opioids becoming important in pain management.

Yet, today, 80% of the world's population lack access to morphine, a medicine included in WHO's first essential medicine list in 1977, whereas increases in opioid consumption have occurred in most high-income countries.

(...) As the nations discuss the war on drugs, the worldwide inequity in access to morphine and similar opioids, especially in Africa and Asia, needs to be addressed." (Photo © flickr)