A Calgary woman is suing the Alberta government over rules that would prevent her from receiving hydromorphone, a powerful opioid she takes three times a day to treat her severe opioid use disorder.
Ophelia Black, 21, was diagnosed with the disorder after developing an opioid dependency as a teenager, according to a statement of claim filed in the Court of King’s Bench on Wednesday.
The document states that the treatment regimen Black currently follows allows him to effectively manage his condition and prevents him from using street opioids. But the province’s new standards require service providers to avoid prescribing opioids for at-home use unless approved by the medical director.
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The claim states, “The rules are impractical and restrictive for Black, and will result in him not having access to the only form of treatment that is effective for his severe opioid use disorder.”
“Blacks will be denied treatment and return to street-associated opioid consumption, increasing their likelihood of death by overdose or suffering other serious health harms related to street-associated opioid use.”
Black is suing the province under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to block the new restrictions and grant her an exemption so she can continue to access the treatment as she did before.
His claims have not been tested in court and no statement of the defendant has been recorded.
The province said it is reviewing the statement of claim and cannot comment further on the matter as it is before the courts.
Black said in a previous interview canadian press that she tried everything she could to stay sober, which often resulted in overdoses.
Community Safety and Opioid Management StandardsThat set in October, making it so much that Black would have to travel to an opioid dependency clinic in Calgary to be prescribed hydromorphone.
The lawsuit states that Black currently has a prescription for the drug, which she takes at home three times a day. As Black does not drive, he has to travel about six hours per day on public transport to get to the clinic.
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The standards include a five-month transition period for health professionals who are currently prescribing high-potency opioids for addiction.
The statement of claim said that Black began using opioids to cope with childhood trauma and that she was regularly sexually, physically, and psychologically abused by older men who took advantage of her vulnerable status. Was a victim. As a result, she began suffering from suicidal thoughts, depression and a range of other mental health issues, the document states.
The claim states, “Opioids provided Black relief from the struggles he faced, but a significant dependence developed from their use.”
“Black relied on street-sourced opioids to manage her condition, which resulted in her suffering multiple overdoses and numerous other adverse health effects.”
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The province says the risk of these potent opioids being in the community is too high to administer them any other way.
“This service is only for the most severe cases of opioid addiction and is a highly specialized service,” Colin Aitchison, press secretary to the minister for mental health and addictions, said in a written statement on Friday.
“The drugs provided as part of this program can be extremely dangerous, especially if they are diverted into the community.”
He said the province is working with Alberta Health Services to extend the transition deadline or waive it in unique cases.
“We will continue to address these unique situations with AHS on a case-by-case basis.”
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