Ireland has experienced a dramatic increase in prescription painkiller use over the past decade, with opioid prescriptions rising 25% and paracetamol prescriptions jumping 50% between 2014 and 2022, new RCSI research reveals.
The surge contrasts sharply with England, where most pain medication classes declined during the same period. Some specific drugs showed even more alarming increases – tapentadol prescriptions rose by 389%.
Researchers attribute the trend to Ireland’s lengthy waiting lists and limited access to non-drug pain management alternatives. Over 63,000 patients currently await orthopedic appointments, with some chronic pain sufferers waiting years for joint replacement surgery.
Dr. Molly Mattsson, the study’s first author, said the findings show “a growing reliance on prescribing pharmacological treatments for pain in Ireland,” particularly among medical card holders who rely on public services.
The research compared Irish medical card holders (about one-third of the population) with all English general practice patients, finding markedly different approaches to pain management. England offers broader access to pain clinics and non-pharmacological interventions like physiotherapy through the NHS.
Professor Frank Moriarty warned that many prescribed medications “carry risks such as dependency which can be worsened by overprescribing.” He emphasized the need to address orthopedic waiting times and provide Irish patients with “safe, evidence-based alternatives to medications” alongside better access to treatment data.