Recommendations for the Prevention, Detection, Treatment and Management of Prescription Opioid Analgesic Dependence: Outcomes From the Opioid Analgesic Dependence Education Nexus (OPEN) Meeting

The global consumption of opioids continues to rise, which has led to an increasing rate of diversion, misuse, addiction, and deaths related to prescription opioids. This has been particularly well documented in the USA; however, opioid analgesic dependence (OAD) is an increasing concern in Europe. More guidance is required for European healthcare professionals in the prevention, detection, treatment and management of OAD. The first Opioid Analgesic Dependence Education Nexus (OPEN) Mentor Meeting was held in Berlin in September 2014 to address this. An international Expert Panel, combining expertise in OAD from Australia, USA and Europe, invited 16 European experts in the pain and addiction fields to develop a best-practice approach to OAD that European practitioners can adopt. The outcomes from this meeting are presented here and included are a set of shared strategies that may be universally adopted by all healthcare professionals working with patients who use opioids.