ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: The prescription of strong opioids underlies a special legislation. The attitude of the pharmacists towards the long-term treatment with these analgesics and their opinion about the legislation is unknown in Germany and other European countries. METHODS: A questionnaire was included in the Journal "Mitteilungsblatt der Apothekerkammer Westfalen-Lippe" and send to all 2300 pharmacists of the region Westfalen-Lippe in December 1997. RESULTS: 797 (35%) questionnaires were returned. In 82.4% of the pharmacies strong opioids are kept in stock. However, 140 pharmacists do not have opioids in stock due to too many different preparations or low prescription rate. 54% of the pharmacists warn their patients about endangering by the medication. The fear of psychological addiction (48.1%) is the main argument, also in patients with regular intake of the opioids (20.1%) and related to long acting opioids (10.8%). Nevertheless, 73% of the pharmacists advocate for a liberalization and 10.7% for an abolishment of the actual prescription laws. DISCUSSION: The importance of the therapy with strong opioids is well accepted by the pharmacists. An ease of the prescription is demanded to improve the situation of the patients with chronic pain. However, the majority of the pharmacists warns the patients about this medication. Contact between prescribing doctors and pharmacists and an intensified education concerning the therapy with opioids are needed in addition to the education of the medical staff and the liberalization of the prescription laws.
