Incorporating prescription psychostimulants into the continuum of care for people with stimulant use disorder in Canada

Commentary
by
Palis, Heather & Scott MacDonald

Release Date

2023

Geography

Canada

Language of Resource

English and French

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Findings/Key points

Accumulating evidence supports treatment of stimulant use disorder with prescribed psychostimulants, but no pharmacologic treatments for stimulant use disorder are currently approved in Canada. Off-label prescribing of psychostimulants for stimulant use disorder has been implemented on a small scale in certain jurisdictions in Canada. In the context of an unregulated supply of stimulants, implementation of psychostimulant prescribing can be considered by clinicians who provide care to patients with stimulant use disorder to reduce the use of and harms from illegal stimulant use.

Français : https://www.cmaj.ca/content/195/35/E1200

Keywords

Safer supply
Stimulants
About prescribers
Policy/Regulatory
Clinical guidance