Safer opioid supply (SOS) programs involve the provision of prescription pharmaceutical opioids (e.g., daily dispensed immediate release hydromorphone) and supportive services (e.g., harm reduction, primary care) to people who are at a high risk of experiencing harms related to substance use. The goals of SOS are to provide a safer alternative to the fentanyl-dominated unregulated drug supply, which is responsible for the overwhelming majority of opioid-related toxicity deaths in Canada, particularly to individuals who have not responded to or do not wish to receive more established treatments, such as opioid agonist treatment (OAT).
As SOS programs have expanded in Canada, questions regarding their effectiveness and safety continue to arise. Therefore, we conducted a rapid review of qualitative and quantitative peer-reviewed and grey literature publications that describe the clinical outcomes of SOS programs, as well as the perceptions of clients and providers involved in the provision of these programs. In total, we identified and synthesized evidence from 20 publications.