Physicians are beginning to modify their prescribing habits. The new consensus is practical, it can be started today and it doesn't involve Congressional hearings, lawsuits or new regulations.
opioids
A recent JAMA paper which concluded that opioid drugs are ineffective for long-term pain relief is flawed, perhaps intentionally so. American Council advisor Richard "Red" Lawhern explains.
The media often uses the words "opioid" and "opiate" interchangeably. However, there are subtle but important differences between them.
In response to soaring opioid addiction and deaths, the U.S. is cracking down hard on the prescription of these painkillers. Aric Hausknecht, M.D., a neurologist and pain management specialist, speaks about pain control at a time when opioids, and the people who depend upon them, are being ostracized.
For some, opioids aren't just painkillers; they serve as a lure into an addictive, self-destructive lifestyle. The sense of euphoria that opioids can cause proves irresistible to some addicts. For this reason, pharmaceutical companies are seeking to discover and develop non-opioid, non-addictive drugs to treat pain.
The Trump Administration has convened a panel to address America's opioid epidemic. Its first mission should be to find convincing data to identify the actual cause(s) of the problem. That will be much harder than it sounds, since ideologues are always in plentiful supply.
It is impossible to estimate how much suffering that the CDC has caused with its asinine "guidance" on opioid prescribing for doctors. So, let's just listen to one voice. It says plenty. And she could be you some day.
The overdose epidemic sweeping the nation is hitting some demographics harder than others. Heroin overdose deaths began to skyrocket in 2010. New data shows that of all groups, older millennials, those aged 25-34, are the likeliest to die from a heroin overdose.
Maternal opioid use is growing nationally. A new study reflects this, its impact on babies and regional disparities. As a result, babies are suffering withdrawal at alarming rates. Our directives must address the symbiotic relationships that perpetuate the current and intergenerational struggles of families.
In a state where there are more pain management clinics than McDonald’s restaurants, Florida seems to be the epicenter of the prescription painkiller addiction epidemic. In response, the Sunshine State has been enacting laws, which have helped to more closely monitor drug distribution and combat the problem.
The health insurance company is attempting to support of the federal government in its effort to curb the rampant over-prescribing of opioid drugs. However, large, sweeping changes to physician prescribing is a one-size-fits-all approach to a crisis that desperately needs anything but.
A systematic review of controlled clinical trials reveals that opioid analgesics are not superior to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, in treating the pain associated with knee osteoarthritis.