Canada now allows prescription heroin in severe opioid addiction

Health Canada has amended regulations allowingdoctors to prescribe heroin to people who are severely addicted toopioids.

The government says the country is facing an opioid overdosecrisis and healthcare providers need help in treatingpatientssuffering from chronic dependency.

The change to the former Conservative government's legislationmeans pharmaceutical-grade heroin can be prescribed under aspecial-access program in cases where traditional treatment hasfailed.

However, Health Canada says that while there is scientificevidence to support emergency access to the drug, the treatment isnot an option for most people.

Health Minister Jane Philpott has said the government will hold asummit this fall to address the issue of opioid addiction that has led tohundreds of overdose deaths across Canada.

Supervised heroin therapy is used in several countries, includingSwitzerland, Germany and the Netherlands, and a clinical trial inCanada has concluded injectable heroin was more effective thanstandard methadone treatment.