Is your prescribing serving a hidden addiction?

Abstract

Addiction to prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines is a hidden, little-researched chronic illness – which could be significantly countered by destigmatisation, ‘up-scheduling’ certain medications, creating a single electronic database across dispensaries and boosting doctor awareness regarding long-term or repeat prescriptions. This is according to Dr Volker Hitzeroth, President of the South African Addiction Medicine Society and convenor of the addictions sub-group of the South African Society of Psychiatrists.