Opioid Analgesics—Risky Drugs, Not Risky Patients Opioid Analgesics

Dowell D, Kunins HV, Farley TA. — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

From 1999 to 2010 the number of people in the United States dying annually from opioid analgesic–related overdoses quadrupled, from 4030 to 16 651. Patients' predisposition to overdose could not have changed substantially in that time; what has changed substantially is their exposure to opioids. During this same time, the amount of opioids prescribed also quadrupled. The increase in prescribing occurred in the context of a greater emphasis on treating pain following efforts by the American Pain Society, the Veterans Health Administration, The Joint Commission, and others to increase recognition and management of pain, as well as advocacy by pain societies urging physicians to use opioids more readily for patients with chronic noncancer pain.

Addiction: White House Seeks “Third Way” Policy Emphasizes Prevention, Treatment, Recovery

Kuehn BM. — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

As the US policy debate about drug abuse careens between old approaches that have led to incarceration of many for drug-related crimes and emerging ones that seek to legalize marijuana, the White House has released a new drug control policy (http://1.usa.gov/ZvNdGA) that administration officials describe as a “third way” to address substance abuse. The new strategy emphasizes evidence-based approaches to prevent and treat substance abuse disorders.

JAMA: Substance Abuse/Alcoholism Topic Collection

Opioid Analgesics—Risky Drugs, Not Risky Patients Opioid Analgesics

Addiction: White House Seeks “Third Way” Policy Emphasizes Prevention, Treatment, Recovery