Using our advice
If you have not done so already, refer to the first article in this series before using this tool.
Switching between morphine and other opioids in palliative care
About the tool
Use our tool to calculate an estimated equivalent dose of oral morphine to other oral (non-morphine) opioids for pain management in adult cancer or palliative care patients.
Depending on the context of the switch, you may need to consider a dose reduction. Our advice on morphine and opioid switching provides background information.
Potency equivalences within the tool are derived from a variety of information sources, including manufacturers’ data, specialist references, and published medical literature.
We provide equivalence information for oral morphine and a selection of other oral opioids commonly used in cancer and palliative care.
Convert to oral morphine from another opioid
Multiply the total daily dose of oral opioid by its potency equivalence.
Convert to a non-morphine opioid from oral morphine
Divide the total daily dose of oral morphine by the potency equivalence for the oral opioid you are converting to.
Disclaimer
The tool is not suitable for clinical settings other than palliative cancer care pain in adults. It is not suitable for routes of administration other than the oral route.
Calculate equivalence
Example scenario
An example oral opioid switch from morphine to oxycodone helps you understand how to apply the tool in clinical practice.
Update history
- Minor changes to structure and wording. Morphine equivalences for hydromorphine, tapentadol and tramadol amended to bring into line with other commonly used reference sources.
- Full review and update complete.
- Published