Drug Misuse in the Veterinary Setting: an Under-recognized Avenue

Prescription drug misuse is a public health concern. Governments are attempting to restrict the incidence of medication diversion by establishing laws to curb drug access from human healthcare providers. Veterinarians, who also prescribe controlled substances and see hundreds of millions of patients annually in the USA, are often overlooked as a source of prescription drug misuse.

Evidence suggests that drug misuse occurs in the veterinary setting, and veterinarians acknowledge this as a common problem. Although analgesics are alleged to be the most common drug class diverted, a recent cross-sectional study suggests veterinarian opioid prescribing rate continues to increase. Prescription misuse in veterinarian settings is likely underestimated and needs to be better investigated. Human healthcare providers must familiarize themselves with this potential channel to prescription drugs and specifically question patients on veterinary drug misuse.