To the Editor: The editorial by Murnion and Conigrave1 and the article by Crossin and colleagues2 on the dangers of misuse of pregabalin are a timely warning to all prescribers. The black market utility (based on testimonies) and frequent misuse of pregabalin is well known both academically and to prescribers in prison environments.3,4
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- 1. Murnion B, Conigrave KM. Pregabalin misuse: the next wave of prescription medication problems. Med J Aust 219; 210: 72–73. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2019/210/2/pregabalin-misuse-next-wave-prescription-medication-problems
- 2. Crossin R, Scott D, Arunogiri S, et al. Pregabalin misuse‐related ambulance attendances in Victoria, 2012–2017: characteristics of patients and attendances. Med J Aust 2019; 210: 75–79. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2019/210/2/pregabalin-misuse-related-ambulance-attendances-victoria-2012-2017
- 3. Bicknel Ml. The pain of pregabalin prescribing in prisons. Br J Gen Pract 2013; 63: 405.
- 4. Royal College of General Practitioners. Safer prescribing in prisons: guidance for clinicians; 2nd ed. London: RCGP, 2019. https://www.rcgp.org.uk/-/media/SPiP-Final-v10-20-Email-Friendly.ashx?la=en (viewed Oct 2019).
- 5. Gomes T, Juurlink DN, Antoniou T, et al. Gabapentin, opioids, and the risk of opioid‐related death: a population‐based nested case–control study. PLoS Med 2017; 14: e1002396.
- 6. Binswanger IA, Stern MF, Deyo RA, et al. Release from prison — a high risk of death for former inmates. N Engl J Med 2007; 356: 157–165.
- 7. Binswanger IA, Nowels C, Corsi KF, et al. Return to drug use and overdose after release from prison: a qualitative study of risk and protective factors. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2012; 7: 3.
- 8. Murnion B. Neuropathic pain: current definition and review of drug treatment. Aust Prescr 2018; 41: 60–63.
- 9. Therapeutic Guidelines. eTG complete: neuropathy pain treatment [website]. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines, 2019. https://tgldcdp.tg.org.au/etgcomplete (viewed Mar 2019).
- 10. Royal College of General Practitioners. Safer prescribing in prisons: guidance for clinicians; 2nd ed. London: RCGP, 2019. https://www.rcgp.org.uk/-/media/SPiP-Final-v10-20-Email-Friendly.ashx?la=en (viewed Oct 2019).
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Primary care clinical staff at Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network.
No relevant disclosures.