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Opioid Safety Resource Center

 

A pharmacist counsels and comforts a patient
Opioid abuse is an ongoing epidemic that affects millions of people across all walks of life. In some cases, these prescribed medications may be the best treatment option for patients experiencing severe pain; however, their misuse can lead to opioid dependence and other serious, potentially deadly, health problems.

According to the CDC, there were over 106,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021, with all age groups experiencing an increase from 2020. Dealing with lingering effects of COVID-19 have inherently exacerbated the struggle with substance use disorder. Vulnerable populations are experiencing  challenging times and therefore, intervention is imperative.

This resource center is dedicated to helping you educate yourself and your team on how to provide opioid support at your pharmacy. Community-level engagement is essential to the safe, effective use of prescribed opioid medications, and we believe that independent pharmacies are second to none when it comes to providing that kind of high-touch, compassionate care.

 

Trainings


The Good Neighbor Pharmacy team continually assesses third-party trainings on opioid safety and will update this section periodically with the latest education opportunities relevant to independent pharmacists. While we make every effort to review the quality of the trainings displayed here, please note that these links below are for external websites not affiliated with AmerisourceBergen. Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen make no representations about the accuracy or validity of these trainings and are not involved in, or responsible for, the creation or hosting of this content. When you click on a training below, a trusted third-party website will open in a new window for you to complete the training there.

Featured training

CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain

This guideline provides recommendations for clinicians providing pain care, including those prescribing opioids, for outpatients aged ≥18 years. It includes recommendations for managing acute (duration of <1 month), subacute (duration of 1–3 months), and chronic (duration of >3 months) pain. 

The guideline addresses the following four areas:

  1. Determining whether or not to initiate opioids for pain
  2. Selecting opioids and determining opioid dosages
  3. Deciding duration of initial opioid prescription and conducting follow-up
  4. Assessing risk and addressing potential harms of opioid use

This clinical practice guideline is intended to improve communication between clinicians and patients about the benefits and risks of pain treatments, including opioid therapy; improve the effectiveness and safety of pain treatment; mitigate pain; improve function and quality of life for patients with pain; and reduce risks associated with opioid pain therapy, including opioid use disorder, overdose, and death.

 

Resources

Peer Recovery Center of Excellence

Watch this helpful series of explainer videos to gain a stronger understanding of topics that are foundational to the recovery community, including recovery community organizations, peer support, recovery capital, and recovery-oriented systems of care. You can use these videos to help you develop a more holistic approach to caring for patients who are struggling with addiction.

Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Drug Deactivation: Deterra Deactivation System

Explore drug deactivation products brought to you by Deterra. Learn about the benefits of the items that are available for purchase on ABC Order.

Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Addressing Prescription Opioid Abuse and Overdose with Your Patients

Read tips specifically geared to pharmacists about establishing your role in the opioid safety continuum and talking to patients about the safe use of opioids.

Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Opioid Use and Misuse Resource Center

Explore this extensive resource center to find a wide variety of pharmacist-focused tools, trainings, webinars, news updates and more.

Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA) Pharmacy Toolkit

Access a comprehensive toolkit that contains dozens of resources to help you engage in important conversations with your patients and healthcare provider colleagues about prescription opioids and how you can work together to prevent opioid abuse and misuse.

Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

National Institute on Drug Abuse Pharmacist Resource Center

Review recent substance use and addiction toolkits, resources, courses and more developed specifically for pharmacists.

Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Opioid Awareness and "SBIRT" Protocol Podcast

Hear Andrew Peterson, Executive Director, Substance Use Disorders Institute, and George Downs, Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, from the University of the Sciences dive deep into identifying and treating patients, motivational interviewing techniques, and behavioral change modeling, as well as strategies and techniques like the “SBIRT” protocol for addiction prevention.

Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Article

Opioid Overdose Prevention TOOLKIT

This toolkit offers strategies to health care providers, communities, and local governments for developing practices and policies to help prevent opioid-related overdoses and deaths. Access reports for community members, prescribers, patients and families, and those recovering from opioid overdose.

Eligible for: ACPE
Provided by: SAMSHA
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topics: care coordination; best practices; minimize risks; OUD; opioid use disorder; naloxone; overdose; patient facing

Article

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder For Healthcare and Addiction Professionals, Policymakers, Patients, and Families

This Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) reviews the use of the three Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications used to treat OUD—methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine—and the other strategies and services needed to support recovery for people with OUD. 

Eligible for: ACPE
Provided by: SAMSHA
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topics: MAT; medication-assisted treatment; OUD; opioid use disorder

Article

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Opioids

This fact sheet for teens provides facts about opioids. It describes short- and long-term effects and lists signs of opioid use. The fact sheet helps to dispel common myths about opioids. 

Eligible for: ACPE
Provided by: SAMSHA
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topics: minimize risks; patient facing

Article

Rx Pain Medications, Know the Options, Get the Facts: Prescription Pain Medication Agreement

The Rx Pain Medications. Know the Options. Get the Facts. is a series of 13 fact sheets designed to increase awareness of the risks associated with prescription opioid use and misuse, as well as to educate patients who are prescribed opioids for pain about the risks and to provide resources on methods for alternative pain management. This particular fact sheet focuses on the prescription pain medication agreement.

Eligible for: ACPE
Provided by: SAMSHA
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topics: pain management; patient agreement

Article

Rx Pain Medications, Know the Options, Get the Facts: What Are the Risks of Opioid Pain Medications?

The Rx Pain Medications. Know the Options. Get the Facts. is a series of 13 fact sheets designed to increase awareness of the risks associated with prescription opioid use and misuse, as well as to educate patients who are prescribed opioids for pain about the risks and to provide resources on methods for alternative pain management. This particular fact sheet focuses on the side effects and interactions of pain medication including opioid use disorder and overdose.

Eligible for: ACPE
Provided by: SAMSHA
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topics: minimize risks; patient facing; communication; safety; adverse effects; pain management

Article

Rx Pain Medications, Know the Options, Get the Facts: Dangerous Drug Interactions

he Rx Pain Medications. Know the Options. Get the Facts. is a series of 13 fact sheets designed to increase awareness of the risks associated with prescription opioid use and misuse, as well as to educate patients who are prescribed opioids for pain about the risks and to provide resources on methods for alternative pain management. This particular fact sheet focuses on the dangers of mixing opiates with other substances such as alcohol and benzodiazepines.

Eligible for: ACPE
Provided by: SAMSHA
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topics: minimize risks; patient facing; safety

Article

Rx Pain Medications, Know the Options, Get the Facts: Treating Overdose with Naloxone

The Rx Pain Medications. Know the Options. Get the Facts. is a series of 13 fact sheets designed to increase awareness of the risks associated with prescription opioid use and misuse, as well as to educate patients who are prescribed opioids for pain about the risks and to provide resources on methods for alternative pain management. This particular fact sheet focuses on using Naloxone as a deterrent to overdose.

Eligible for: ACPE
Provided by: SAMSHA
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topics: minimize risks; patient facing; nalaxone

Report

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Patients, Families, and Individuals in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders

Dig into the experiences of patients and impacted individuals in terms of the emotional and health consequences of COVID-19, overdose rates, and barriers in safely accessing care during the pandemic.

Provided by: Addiction Policy
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topic: Opioid safety and management

Interactive guide

Navigating Treatment and Addiction: A Guide for Families

Use this collection of articles to help your patients navigate the complex world of addiction and help loved ones achieve recovery.

Provided by: Addiction Policy
Time investment: 0.5 hours
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topic: Patient education, care planning and communication, opioid alternatives and exit strategies, opioid use disorder

Article

Naloxone Saves: A Harm Reduction Resource for North Carolina

Explore what type of patient education is required under the standing order of the State Health Director and find materials you can share.

Provided by: NC DHHS
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topic: Patient education, overdose signs and symptoms, naloxone

Article

An Overview of Naloxone for Pharmacists

Refresh your foundational knowledge of naloxone and the role you can play in the lives of your patients who are prescribed opioids.

Provided by: U.S. Pharmacist
Time investment: 0.33 hours
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topic: Patient education, overdose signs and symptoms, naloxone

Patient-facing PDF

Safe Use, Storage, and Disposal

Educate your patients with detailed instructions, key data, and links to additional resources to help patients make informed decisions about the storage and disposal of prescription opioids.

Provided by: AAOA
Time investment: 0.6 hours
Clicks to access: 1
Login requirements: None

Topic: Patient education

Patient-facing education resources

Print and digital opioid safety marketing materials are available on Brand Central Station and SOCi. You can use these materials to educate your patients about prescription opioids both in your pharmacy and on social media. Here are a few samples of the social media graphics we’ve created for you. Feel free to right click and save these images to get you started.
Opioid safety social media graphic about creating a plan for pain management
Opioid safety social media graphic about understanding opioid alternatives
Opioid safety social media graphic about how to dispose of opioids
Opioid safety social media graphic about taking opioids as prescribed
Opioid safety social media graphic about the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose

Need additional guidance on opioid safety?

Let us know what this page is missing and we'll work on adding new topics based on what you need. You can also connect with our team to get your questions answered directly.