[Opioid prescriptions for insured individuals without cancer in Germany: data from the BARMER]

The importance of opioids in the treatment of non-cancer pain is under debate. No current data are available from Germany on the prevalence of opioid treatment for non-cancer pain.

Data on the prevalence of short- and long-term opioid prescriptions for patients without cancer, prescribed agents, co-medication, specialty of prescribing physicians, demographic and clinical characteristics of patients.

Retrospective analysis of billing data of adult BARMER-insured persons without evidence of cancer (N = 6,771,075) in 2021 and for patients initiating opioid therapy in 2019 (n = 142,598).

In total, 5.7% of the insured persons without a cancer diagnosis received at least one prescription for an opioid in 2021, while 1.9% received long-term therapy. Tilidine and tramadol were the most frequently prescribed opioids in short- and long-term therapy. Women received opioids more frequently than men. The frequency of prescriptions significantly increased with age. In 2021, 22.5% of insured persons with long-term opioid therapy received a co-medication with pregabalin and/or gabapentin, 37.5% with an antidepressant and 58.1% with metamizole and/or NSAIDs. A total of 59.5% of first prescriptions were issued by general practitioners. In the first year of therapy, an average of 2.1 practices were involved in prescribing analgetics for people on long-term opioid therapy and 13 different chronic diseases were documented.

Opioid therapy for non-cancer-related pain is predominantly carried out by general practitioners in older and multi-morbid patients. The indication for or against opioid therapy requires shared decision-making with patients and, if necessary, their relatives, as well as a review of possible drug interactions.