The system isn't broken, it's yet to be built: B.C. opioid task force member

A member of B.C.'s provincial task force assigned to curb the opioid crisis says an adequate response system has to be built from the ground up.

Dr. Evan Wood, a member of the task force and the medical director for addiction services with Vancouver Coastal Health, spoke with The Early Edition about what the group has learned so far.

"Oftentimes, I hear people say that the addictions system is broken ... Actually the system isn't broken, we need to build a functioning addictions system."

Confusion among health-care providers

It's been almost two months since the province appointed the task force to address the crisis that has killed more than 370 British Columbians this year.

One of its tasks has been to look at the medical response to overdoses to identify areas where resources are needed, Wood explained, and where they are being misused.

He said since addiction medicine is a new discipline, there is no central coordinating body to train healthcare providers to prevent and treat addiction.

It's led to a lot of confusion within the healthcare system.

"Money is going towards interventions that have been proven ineffective. There's money going to things that actually might be harmful."

One example, he said, is treating mental health and substance abuse concurrently.

Because the mental health response system is better developed, Wood said, the substance abuse issue is often treated as "an afterthought."

This can have devastating consequences, as some prescription medication for certain mental illnesses can interfere with opioids and make a patient's condition worse.

Positive steps

Nevertheless, Wood said there have been small gains.

He pointed out two positive steps: making suboxone — a drug that prevents cravings and withdrawal of opioids — a regular coverage benefit; and allowing every primary care physician to prescribe methadone.

"It's hugely significant ... [it] actually makes British Columbia a leader in Canada," he said.

But more resources are needed — especially considering the highly potent and addictive nature of opioids like fentanyl.

"It's a very unique illness ... It remains to be seen [what happens] in terms of the interventions that are put in place."

With files from The Early Edition

To hear the interview, click on the link labelled Dr. Evan Wood on B.C.'s fentanyl crisis