Addressing the objections to an article

I want to respond to the objections^1,2 published in the April issue of Canadian Family Physician regarding Dr Gallagher’s article “New category of opioid-related death.”³ Dr Gallagher is considered by palliative care physicians to be a leader nationally. She has helped physicians to prescribe opioids such as methadone safely by providing education on the Canadian Virtual Hospice with her Methadone for Pain in Palliative Care program. So, although it is fair to make points in favour of medical assistance in dying² or to ask about the extent of her opioid honoraria,¹ you might want to check out her curriculum vitae before trolling her. I work with elderly patients and in palliative care and I think we need to have open discussions about these topics.

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