AAOMS summary of CDC opioid guidelines available

AAOMS recently reviewed the 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain, which was released last month and updates and replaces the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. The voluntary guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for clinicians who prescribe opioids for outpatients 18 years of age and older with acute pain, subacute pain or chronic pain. Of note to OMSs, the guideline states nonopioid therapies “are at least as effective” as opioids for many common acute pain conditions, including dental pain, and for mild postoperative pain such as simple dental extractions. It also recommends when clinicians treat acute pain with opioids, they prescribe immediate-release opioids at the lowest effective dose and at no greater quantity than needed for the expected duration of pain severe enough to require opioids. AAOMS developed a summary of the guideline that also highlights efforts the association and its members have taken to address prescription drug abuse.