Calgary woman suing Alberta government over prescribed opioid use restrictions
A Calgary woman is suing the Alberta government over regulations that would prevent her from obtaining hydromorphone, a potent opioid she takes three times a day to treat her severe opioid use disorder.
Ophelia Black, 21, was diagnosed with the disorder after she developed an opioid dependency as a teen, says thestatement of claim filed in Court of King's Bench on Wednesday.
The document says the treatment regime Black currently follows allows her to effectively manage her condition and prevents her from using street-sourced opioids. But the province's new standards require service providers to refrain from prescribing opioids for at-home use unless approved by a medical director.
"The regulations are impractical and restrictive for Black, and will result in her no longer accessing the only form of treatment that is effective for her severe opioid use disorder," says the claim.
"Black will disengage from treatment and return to street-sourced opioid consumption, increasing her likelihood of overdose death or experiencing other serious health harms related to street-sourced opioid use."
Black is suing the province under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to put a halt to the new restrictions and to provide her with an exemption so she can continue to access the treatment as she did previously.
Her claims have not been tested in court and no statement of defence has been filed.
The province said it is reviewing the statement of claim and couldn't provide further comment on the case as it is before the courts.
Black said in a previous interview with The Canadian Press that she tried everything she could to stay sober but continued to relapse, often resulting in an overdose.
The Community Protection and Opioid Stewardship Standards, established in October, makes it so Black would have to travel to the Opioid Dependency Clinic in Calgary to have hydromorphone administered to her.
The lawsuit says Black currently has a prescription for the drug, which she takes three times a day intravenously at home. As Black doesn't drive, she would have to travel about six hours per day on public transit to get to the clinic.
The standards include a five-month transition period for health professionals currently prescribing high-potency opioids for addiction.
The statement of claim says Black began using opioids to cope with childhood trauma and that she was regularly sexually, physically, and mentally abused by older men preying on her vulnerable condition. As a result, she began suffering from suicidal ideation, depression and a range of other mental health issues, says the document.
"Opioids provided Black relief from the struggles she endured, but her use resulted in developing a significant dependency," says the claim.
"Black relied on street-sourced opioids to manage her condition, which resulted in her experiencing numerous overdoses and a variety of other adverse health effects."
The province says the risk of these potent opioids getting into the community is too high for them to be administered any other way.
"The service is only for the most severe cases of opioid addiction and is an extremely specialized service," Colin Aitchison, press secretary to the minister of mental health and addictions, said in a written statement Friday.
"The medications that may be provided as part of this program can be extremely dangerous, especially if they are diverted into the community."
The province has been working with Alberta Health Services to extend the timeline of the transition or grant exemptions in unique cases, he said.
"We will continue to address these unique situations on a case-by-case basis with AHS."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.