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A new support program can increase the number of patients who successfully self-regulate their long-term intake of strong opioid painkillers without worsening their quality of life, a study has shown.

The economic evaluation of the Improving the Well-being of People with Opioid Treated Chronic Pain (I-WOTCH) program suggests that while the program costs more upfront, its long-term benefits mean it could be good value for money for the NHS.

More than 600 patients with nonmalignant chronic pain took part in the yearlong clinical trial of the program, and 29% in the support group were off strong opioids entirely after 12 months, compared with only 7% of those receiving standard care with no support.

In 2019, 5.6 million people in England received and collected a prescription for an opioid painkiller. Globally, around 60 million people used opioids at least once in the same year.

While strong opioids are effective for managing sudden, short-term pain, experts warn there is little evidence their long-term use helps with chronic pain not caused by cancer. Continued use carries severe risks, including dizziness, severe falls, sleep apnea, overdose and early death.

Official guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends tapering or stopping strong opioids when risks outweigh benefits.

Cynthia Iglesias, professor of health economics at the University of York, who led I-WOTCH's economic analysis, said, "Strong opioids, even when used at the dosage prescribed by a medical professional, can cause dependency, and without structured support, some people can struggle to cut them down or stop altogether.

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