Achieving Balance
in National Opioids Control Policy:
Guidelines for Assessment
World Health Organization, 2000
The Pain and Policy Studies Group
(PPSG) is pleased to announce the availability of a World Health Organization
(WHO) publication aimed at improving availability of opioid analgesics in the
world, titled "Achieving Balance in National Opioids Control Policy: Guidelines
for Assessment."
This document provides 16 guidelines that can be used by governments and health
professionals to assess the national opioids control policies and their administration
of any country to determine if they contain the provisions, procedures and cooperation
that are necessary to ensure the availability of opioid analgesics. The guidelines
are derived from the international principle of "Balance" in drug
control policy. This principle, which is carefully and extensively documented
in the publication, asserts that governments not only have an obligation to
prevent drug abuse, but also to ensure the availability of opioid analgesics
for medical purposes, and further, that efforts to prevent drug abuse and diversion
must not interfere with the adequate availability of opioid analgesics for patients’
pain relief. The importance of cooperation between regulators and health professionals
is emphasized.
Since the Guidelines were published in 2000, the PPSG and the WHO have used them to encourage cooperation and evaluation of national policy between health professionals and narcotic regulators at several international regional conferences.
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last updated:
April 23, 2006