Abstract

RODRIGO, M.D. et al. Opioid switching and bioequivalent molecules. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2010, vol.17, n.2, pp.104-113. ISSN 1134-8046.

Due to the alert created due to two important incidents that took place involving the clinical activity of doctors who treat pain (one is the switching of bioequivalent molecules, and the other is the directives issued by a Health Department on encouraging the use of morphine instead of other opioids as first choice analgesic opioid), the Working Group of the Spanish Pain Society, considering that both can affect the activities in clinical practices that do not adapt to the available scientific evidence, analysed these two facts, and based on the expert report by Dr. Cecilio Álamo in May 2009, entitled, the clinical switching of strong opioids, and after an in depth review of the national and international literature, as well as the position of European health institutions, including the French Medicines Agency and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, issued as conclusions that: 1. We do not believe that the switching of strong opioids is justified whether they are generic or branded. 2. In view of the advantages provided by the new molecules with different formulas (oral as well as transdermal), we can state that there are other therapeutic options other than the use of morphine as a first choice analgesic opioid.

Keywords : Opioid analgesics; Switching; Bioequivalent molecules; Generic and branded.

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