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Prescription Opioid Trendsin Canada An independent IQVIA report on measuring andunderstanding the use of prescription opioids dispensedfrom 2020 to 2024 Table of contents Introduction3National opioid utilization highlights5Provincial prevalence trendse6Demographic analysis7Opioid dependence treatments10Prescriber analysis13Recommendations for health stakeholders14Limitations14Sources for data and methodology15About IQVIA16 Introduction Opioids are a class of psychoactive substances generally prescribed to relieve moderate to severe pain, whetherrelated to an acute or chronic condition. Some of them, such as methadone and buprenorphine-naloxone, are alsoused in the treatment of opioid dependence. The medication, used as a single product or in combination with others,has an important role to play in drug treatment, but only if consumed in a way that is both safe and effective. Inaddition to their analgesic properties, opioids have the potential to cause physical and psychological dependence andare recognized as drugs used by drug addicts. All those who study and deliver health care and set the policy and standards of care that inform the treatment foropioid overuse are challenged to strike the right balance between reducing human suffering and minimizing theequally painful sequelae of opioid dependence. There is no easy way to determine this balance, but the availabledata could inform the way forward for practitioners, researchers, educators, and policymakers, ultimately for thebetterment of the patient’s health. Around the world, research is focused on developing new molecules that can replace opioids, while reducing theirundesirable effects, particularly the risk of dependence. Promising solutions include suzetrigine, approved this yearin the United States, and aniquinazoline B, a natural compound extracted from a marine mushroom currently understudy.1,2 Our objective at IQVIA is to help optimize healthcare by bringing to light data and factual evidence to better informdecision-makers in this critical area with the utmost respect for privacy and information security. The statistics andanalyses presented in this report come from the dashboard IQVIA Health Insights, in collaboration with the IQVIAAdvisory Board for the Advancement of Health, a group of opinion leaders from various healthcare sectors. Based onfully anonymized data, the dashboard is a useful analytical tool, enabling analysis of the use of drugs belonging tocertain therapeutic classes. It is designed to answer three questions: how many prescriptions have been dispensed,how many users benefit from them, and which medical specialties prescribed them. See page 14 for limits to the useof IQVIA data. This fourth report by IQVIA on opioid prescriptions in Canada covers the period 2020 to 2024. It shows the evolutionof pan-Canadian trends in opioid prescriptions dispensed in community (non-hospital) pharmacies. The report alsoincludes demographic indicators, broken down by province or region, highlighting both progress made and ongoingconcerns. This report is produced independently by IQVIA Canada as a public service, without industry or governmentfunding. IQVIA’s aim is to optimize healthcare by providing factual information that enables policy-makersto make informed decisions in this crucial sector, while guaranteeing strict confidentiality and data security.The company complies with all health privacy laws and does not collect any prescription drug data that couldidentify a patient or be used for this purpose. About the authors DANIEL LACROIXSenior ConsultantIQVIA Canada PIERRE ST-MARTINSenior Director,Data ScienceIQVIA Canada National opioid utilization highlights The opioid crisis continues to represent a major public health issue in Canada. According to the Public Health Agencyof Canada (PHAC), 52,544 deaths apparently related to opioid toxicity were recorded between January 2016 andDecember 2024.3In 2024, there were 7,146 deaths, a 17% decrease from the previous year. The vast majority of deaths(80%) in 2024 occurred in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. While the human toll of the opioid epidemic is beingaddressed differently across the country, efforts tomanage opioid prescribing and to support medication-assisted treatment are showing measurable resultsin several provinces, although some sensitive zonesremain. In 2024, approximatelyone in nine peoplein Canadareceived at least one prescriptionfor opioids from a communitypharmacy for pain relief - that’sover 4.4 million people. Between 2020 and 2024, the prevalence of opioid use forpain relief in Canada remained relatively stable, goingfrom 11.0% to 10.6%. The number of users increasedslightly (+6%), as did the total volume of prescriptions(+16%). In 2024, each person treated received an averageof five prescriptions. Provincial prevalence trends Between 2020 and 2024, the prevalence of opioid use for pain management either declined or remained relativelystable across a