CDC Releases New Guidelines For Prescribing Opioid Medications

On November 3, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines for the use of opioid medications to reduce acute, subacute, and chronic pain in adults ages 18 and older. The guidance updates and replaces the CDC’s previous prescribing guidelines issued in early 2016. The new guidelines apply to outpatient adults. They do not apply to pain related, to sickle cell disease or cancer, nor to those receiving palliative or end-of-life care. The guideline is intended to address four areas:

Initial decision to initiate opioid medications
Selecting opioid medications and determining dosages
Deciding . . .