16 May 2019

May puts focus on medication dependence

May is Medication Dependence Prevention Month, which raises awareness about preventing medication harms and finding community support. Up to 1 in 10 people who leave hospital after surgery with an opioid prescription keep using opioids long term. And 1.9 million Australian adults begin taking prescription opioids every year.

Medication Dependence Prevention Month highlights that using medications for longer than a few weeks can lead to unintended side effects like tolerance, dependence and addiction. It emphasises that if people plan to start taking an opioid, they should also make a plan to stop with their health professional.

The annual event is organised by ScriptWise, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the number of deaths in Australia from prescription medication misuse.

Medication Dependence Prevention Month is divided into three phases.

May 1 to 12: Taking opioids after injury (sports focus)
May 13 to 19: Taking sedative medications (sleep focus)
May 20 to 31: Taking opioids after surgery (hospital focus)

The TAC is proud to be a sponsor of Medication Dependence Prevention Month. To learn more about the event, visit www.scriptwise.org.au/prevention-month. The website offers downloadable pain and anxiety medication action plans, which help people develop strategies with their health professional.

You can also watch a video or visit ScriptWise’s social media platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, where you can use the hashtag #PreventionMonth to talk about preventing medication harms.

If you are providing treatment to a TAC client and are concerned about their medication use, you can discuss this with a member of our Clinical Panel. Contact us at clinical_panel@tac.vic.gov.au


16 May 2019 May puts focus on medication dependence May is Medication Dependence Prevention Month, which raises awareness about preventing medication harms and finding community support. Up to 1 in 10 people who leave hospital after surgery with an opioid prescription keep using opioids long term. And 1.9 million Australian adults begin taking prescription opioids every year. May is Medication Dependence Prevention Month, which raises awareness about preventing medication harms and finding community support. Up to 1 in 10 people who leave hospital after surgery with an opioid prescription keep using opioids long term. And 1.9 million Australian adults begin taking prescription opioids every year. Medication Dependence Prevention Month highlights that using medications for longer than a few weeks can lead to unintended side effects like tolerance, dependence and addiction. It emphasises that if people plan to start taking an opioid, they should also make a plan to stop with their health professional. The annual event is organised by ScriptWise, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the number of deaths in Australia from prescription medication misuse. Medication Dependence Prevention Month is divided into three phases. May 1 to 12: Taking opioids after injury (sports focus) May 13 to 19: Taking sedative medications (sleep focus) May 20 to 31: Taking opioids after surgery (hospital focus) The TAC is proud to be a sponsor of Medication Dependence Prevention Month. To learn more about the event, visit www.scriptwise.org.au/prevention-month. The website offers downloadable pain and anxiety medication action plans, which help people develop strategies with their health professional. You can also watch a video or visit ScriptWise’s social media platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, where you can use the hashtag #PreventionMonth to talk about preventing medication harms. If you are providing treatment to a TAC client and are concerned about their medication use, you can discuss this with a member of our Clinical Panel. Contact us at clinical_panel@tac.vic.gov.au