In an electronic submission published by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), the institution showed support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) project for an updated guideline for health workers, that provides recommendations for prescribing opioids.
“As attorneys general whose states and residents have been affected by the epidemic of opioid abuse, addiction, diversion, overdose, and death, we write to urge the speedy adoption of the CDC’s Proposed 2016 Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain,” said the NAAG in the letter.
The guideline has the main objective of “improving the way opioids are prescribed for safer chronic pain treatment”, said the CDC in its proposal.
The NAAG also addressed that with a better-informed health workers, death and overdose will be prevented and they could improve the access to treatment for patients for whom they are the best choice.
The most recent edit in the guideline was on October 1998, according to CDC’s website. The existing one vary in recommendations and primary care providers said they receive “insufficient training” in prescribing opioid pain relievers.
The project’s draft has outlined 12 recommendations for health workers to prescribe the treatment for chronic pain in three different areas: when the treatment is really needed; which opioid treatment could be the most effective for the differing pathologies as well as dosage, duration, follow-up and discontinuation of the drug; and addressing risks and harms associated with the opioid use.
In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids in the United States. This amount is enough for every American adult to have a bottle of pills.
There has been a 300% increase in opioid sales in the nation since 1999, but according to surveys, there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain the patient’s report to their doctors.
Reports said 2 million Americans, age 12 or older, have either abused or were dependent on opioid pain relievers in 2013. Also, there have been more than 16,000 people dead from overdose related to opioid pain relievers, an increase of four times since 1999.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Bottom Line Is This… Drs MUST Not Only Inform Patients Of The Risks Associated With Opioid Dependency,But They MUST Be Responsible For EVERY Patient They Write Them To. That Means A Complete & Comprehensive Treatment Plan That Includes, & This Is The MOST Important Part, A Plan For The Ceasation Of Their Opioid Treatments That Include Tappering/Weaning & Information. You See The Problem Is When A M.D Determines A Patient No Longer Is In Need Of Opioid Treatment,They Stop Prescribing Them All At Once,& In Turn, Sends ANOTHER Opioid Dependent Person “Addict” Out On The Streets. So Until There Is True Reform & Accountability For Drs That Prescribe Opioids,Or Any Narcotic With Strong Probability Of Dependency, This “Epidemic” WILL Continue. The Only Statistic, That I Can, With 100% Certainty Be Sure Of, Is As Opioids Become Harder To Get Legitimately, & Prescribed At Decreasing Rates. The “Addict” Related Crimes & Death Rates Will Certainly INCREASE!
Yes people abuse opioid’s just like they abuse all drugs. But all the people clamoring for more control should keep in mind the people who suffer severe pain without them and who cannot live normal lives without pain relief.
No one who has not had a severe back injury or other injury or medical condition which cannot be fixed in any way can imagine living with constant debilitating pain every day, 24/7, through every waking hour and even through the night when they cannot sleep because of the pain.
Another thing the medical community needs to keep in mind is the unintended effect that clamping down too hard on prescription medications has. People turn to illegal, unregulated, dangerous drugs such as heroin. And they end up dying in record numbers. The current heroin epidemic and all of the deaths caused by it is a result of the crackdown on prescription drugs.
You Are 100% Spot On Correct My Friend. In 2001 A Drunk Driver Hit Me Head On @65mph. I Woke Up In The Hospital With Multiple Severe Injuries,Most Notably, A Broken Back. After A Year Of Grueling Treatments & Therapy. It Was Determined I Was Healed & Discharged From A Drs Care. GREAT NEWS, Until I Realized I Was VERY Dependent On The Pain Meds He Had Been Giving Me The Previous 12Months! After A Lengthy Battle With Opioid Dependency, Ive Decided To Dedicate My Life To Helping Opioid “Addicts” Overcome Their Dependency. Also To Educating “Addicts” Families, & Really Anyone Who Has Been Affected, Or Interested In This Horrible “Epidemic”. So I Agree 1000% With Your Post.
We’re all stars in the dope show -M Manson 300% increase in scripts written, Doctors should be ashamed of themselves. Every opioid/heroin is their fault and they should be jailed for being drug dealers and not physicians. Time to bitch slap the #AMA and #Obama the great drug pusher.
I believe the sharp increase in opioid prescriptions is due to the increase in access to healthcare. I do not think doctors need to be ashamed. Doctors do have to understand that withdrawing medicine because of regulation and not condition can cause fatal street opiate overdoses or overdoses from using prescription drugs obtained on the street. This is a sticky wicket and using it as a moral and political football is what we need to be ashamed of.
Too Right David, Too Right!!! The Worst Part Is, If Politics Were Set Aside For Once, The Entire “Epidemic” Could Be Negated. Or Atleast Cut To #’s So Low It Wouldnt Deplete Valuable Resources That Are Desperately NEEDED Elsewhere! Good On You Sir!