Palliative care for adults: strong opioids for pain relief

MHRA online learning on minimising the risks of using medicines and information on how to access medical device modules

This resource was developed independently by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and not directly from the NICE guidance. The content reflects the NICE guidance, with additional information, and facilitates its implementation.

Opioids are prescribed very widely, mainly for managing pain. This module identifies the most important hazards of opioids and informs on actions that health professionals can take in order to anticipate, minimise and manage the risks.

Some of the advice in this module on the risks of opioids may not apply in the palliative care setting. Also, infrequent effects which occur on chronic treatment, such as hyperalgesia, myoclonus, and endocrine derangement are not covered.