The CDC’s proposed revised guidelines for Opioid prescribing are open for comment. The introductory background statement on the purpose of the practice guidelines merits consideration as well:
This clinical practice guideline is
voluntary; it provides recommendations
and does not require mandatory
compliance. It is intended to be flexible
to support, not supplant, clinical
judgment and individualized, patientcentered decision-making. This clinical
practice guideline is not intended to be
applied as inflexible standards of care
across patient populations by healthcare
professionals, health systems, thirdparty payers, organizations, or
governmental jurisdictions. The clinical
practice guideline is intended to achieve
the following: Improved communication
between clinicians and patients about
the risks and benefits of pain treatment,
including opioid therapy for pain;
improved safety and effectiveness for
pain treatment, resulting in improved
function and quality of life for patients
experiencing pain; and a reduction in
the risks associated with long-term
opioid therapy, including opioid use
disorder, overdose, and death.
Why so much throat clearing? Maybe it is because the last guidance document apparently got many Americans fired as patients.
Missouri State of Mind 