collaborations

International Narcotics Control Board research study

About the project

Project title: Does the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) sufficiently prioritise enablement of access to therapeutic opioids? A systematic critical analysis of six INCB annual reports, 1968-2018
Funder: Academy Medical Sciences INSPIRE programme
Time frame: Completed
Contact for more details: Dr Joseph Clark

The purpose of this project to explore the balance of restriction versus enabling access of opioids overseen by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

The INCB has overseen international drug control since 1968 with the dual remit of restricting illicit production and use of controlled substances, whilst enabling access for clinical purposes.

We analysed six decade-apart INCB Annual Reports to demonstrate prioritisation of restriction of illicit opioids over enablement for medical purposes. Under the current system of estimating annual requirements, access to opioids is inadequate. Better balance of control vs access, and better methods of accurately estimating population-level needs for opioids for all therapeutic requirements are needed.

Publications

Clark JD, Johnson M, Fabowale B, Farrelly M, Currow D. Does the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) sufficiently prioritise enablement of access to therapeutic opioids? A systematic critical analysis of six INCB annual reports, 1968-2018. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2020;4:e2020042. doi:10.29392/001c.12925