EXPERIENCES WITH THE PRESCRIPTION OF OPIOIDS - A PATIENT QUESTIONNAIRE

Forty-three German patients who had been treated with strong opioids w ere questioned about their experiences during therapy. The prescriptio n of opioids was well accepted by most patients. Some, however, felt s tigmatized by taking opioids. Fourteen patients (33%) were asked by th eir relatives, friends, or other-patients about the special prescripti on form. Six patients (14%) had difficulties in redeeming the prescrip tion at the pharmacy, seven patients (16%) were warned against taking the medication by the pharmacist, 21 patients observed that their gene ral practitioner (GP) was mistrustful about the treatment, and 16 pati ents (37%) reported that the GP terminated the therapy. Despite the be neficial effect for the patient, opioid treatment started and supervis ed in a lain clinic is not always continued by the GP. In Germany, it may not be possible to administer opioid therapy outside of a speciali zed pain clinic. In those few cases in which an opioid therapy is succ essfully instituted difficulties continue due to prejudices, insuffici ent education, and complicated prescription laws. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee, 1998.