• Shobbrook M
• Amorin-Woods L
• Parkin-Smith G

• Affiliation / Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia (CCEA)
• Affiliation / Council on Chiropractic Education International (CCEI)
• Affiliation / Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum
• Affiliation / Murdoch University. College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education. Discipline of Chiropractic
• Affiliation / Private Practice
• Affiliation(G) / Australia / Western Australia / Perth
• Back Pain / therapy
• Open Access Document
• Opioid Epidemic / Australia
• Opioid Epidemic / prevention and control
• Pain Management / methods

The epidemic of opioid misuse and abuse is well documented, with the consequences of morbidity and mortality being similar in Australia when compared to other nations. Chiropractors have an important and emerging role in mitigating the overuse and harms caused by prescription opioids, especially for people with non-cancer spinal pain, by offering guideline-concordant management. This paper summarises the current opioid conundrum in Australia briefly compared with international data and describes some ways in which chiropractors may contribute positively to addressing the challenge both as individuals and corporately as a profession.

Author keywords: Back Pain; Chiropractic; Opioid Epidemic; Pain Management

Author affiliations: MS, LA-W, GP-S: Private practice, Australia; MS: Director, Councils on Chiropractic Education International (CCEI); MS: Deputy Chair, Council on Chiropractic Education Australasia (CCEA); MS: Deputy Chair, Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum; LA-W, GP-S: College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education (Chiropractic), Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia

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