CDC updates opioid prescribing guidelines for clinicians

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released updated guidelines for clinicians prescribing opioids to outpatients for short- or long-term pain, which replace guidelines released in 2016. 

“The science on pain care has advanced over the past six years,” said Debbie Dowell, M.D., chief clinical research officer for CDC’s Division of Overdose Prevention. “During this time, CDC has also learned more from people living with pain, their caregivers, and their clinicians. We’ve been able to improve and expand our recommendations by incorporating new data with a better understanding of people’s lived experiences and the challenges they face when managing pain and pain care.”