Health Canada to propose regulatory change to allow access to diacetylmorphine

Medicines regulator Health Canada announced on Friday that the department will propose a regulatory amendment to allow access to diacetylmorphine under Health Canada's Special Access Program (SAP).

A significant body of scientific evidence supports the medical use of diacetylmorphine, also known as pharmaceutical-grade heroin, for the treatment of chronic relapsing opioid dependence. Diacetylmorphine is permitted in a number of other jurisdictions, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland, to support a small percentage of patients who have not responded to other treatment options, such as methadone and buprenorphine.

The SAP considers requests for emergency access to drugs for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions when conventional treatments have failed, are unsuitable, or are unavailable. Each request made under the SAP is thoroughly reviewed by clinical experts at Health Canada before being granted. Health Canada recognizes the importance of providing physicians with the ability to make evidence-based treatment proposals in these exceptional cases.