A recent Food & Drug Administration report finds that people are getting too many opioids to relieve pain. Inconsistent prescribing guidelines are the main reason why, according to the study.
While many opioid prescribing guidelines exist, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found many lack evidence to back them up. The federal government has taken aim at the problem in recent years, but there are still many areas where inadequate data exists, according to the FDA.
Medical procedures warranting improved prescribing guides include total knee replacement and wisdom tooth extraction, the study found.
Authors noted that a compelling reason for more targeted and improved guidelines is this: The United States consumes about 80% of the world’s opioid medications. “It’s important that we re-examine how opioid analgesics are being prescribed and help to ensure that health care providers — who are the gatekeepers to prescription opioid analgesics — are provided with the most current and comprehensive guidance on the appropriate management of pain,” said Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
