Provincial and territorial health ministers are urging Ottawa to delay the approval of a generic form of OxyContin.

The ministers,  meeting in Halifax last week, say more research needs to be done on the highly addictive drug.

Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews says the pain-relief drug — whether it’s in brand-name or generic form — is too addictive, is too easy to tamper with and is causing particularly devastating consequences in First Nations communities.

She says there are alternatives to OxyContin that can’t be easily ground up for illicit use.

But she adds she doesn’t want to see a return of OxyContin to the streets in a generic form.