Demand for and supply of opiates for medical and scientific needs.

Urges all Governments to give serious consideration to ways to bring about a rapid improvement in solving the problem of excess stocks of opiate raw materials held by the traditional supplier countries; commends INCB for its special report on the demand for and supply of opiates for medical and scientific needs, in which the Board, inter alia, highlighted the impediments to the availability of opiates for medical use, impediments which make it difficult to assess the full licit medical needs for opiates realistically; requests INCB to accord priority to monitoring the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report; requests WHO to develop guidelines on the rational use of opiates and on the treatment of conditions for which opiates may be prescribed, with a view to assisting Governments in evolving national policy in this regard; requests the Secretary-General to transmit the resolution to all Governments for consideration and implementation.

Adopted without vote, 15th meeting

Adopted at the 15th plenary meeting, 21 June 1991.
In: Resolutions and decisions of the Economic and Social Council, organizational session for 1991, New York, 30 January and 5 and 7 February 1991; resumed organizational session for 1991, New York, 25 March 1991; first regular session of 1991, New York, 13-31 May 1991; resumed first regular session of 1991, New York, 17-21 June 1991 - E/1991/91 - p. 36 - (ESCOR, 1991, Suppl. no. 1).