Thread by @Surgeon_General

1/5: I usually wait to do a #SundaySpotlight, but on the heels of the #RxSummit2019 & given legitimate concerns of chronic pain patients, I felt this was article was just too important to delay sharing👇🏽
No Shortcuts to Safer Opioid Prescribing | NEJM nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…

2/5 The Guideline is intended for primary care clinicians treating chronic pain for those 18 and older. misapplication includes applying the Guideline to patients in active cancer treatment, experiencing acute sickle cell crises, or experiencing post-surgical pain.

3/5: The Guideline does not support abrupt tapering or sudden discontinuation of opioids. This can result in in severe opioid withdrawal symptoms including pain and psychological distress.

4/5: In addition, policies that mandate hard limits conflict with the Guideline’s emphasis on individualized assessment of benefits and risks considering the circumstances and unique needs of each patient.

5/5: The Guideline’s recommendation about dosage applies to use of opioids in the management of chronic pain, NOT to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. The Guideline recommends offering medication-assisted treatment for patients with opioid use disorder.