Researchers Influence Clarification of CDC on Prescribing Opioids for the Treatment of Cancer Pain

To reduce the number of people who may abuse, abuse or opioid overdose, several national agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have issued guidelines to improve the way opioids are prescribed. However, some of these guidelines have led to confusion and misapplication among clinicians and have unintentionally limited the treatment of pain in people with cancer.

A JAMA Oncology An article by two Penn researchers calling for uniformity of clinical practice guidelines for pain control in people with cancer-related pain has helped narrow the gap between the management guidelines of the pain. As a result, the CDC has published key clarifications on its guideline for opioid prescription for chronic pain in order to ensure safe and appropriate access to cancer patients, cancer survivors and patients. people with sickle cell disease. The clarification of the CDC is particularly important because many insurance payers use it inappropriately to determine opioid coverage for these specific populations.

"Many of the current recommendations regarding opioid prescribing practices stem from a consensus of experts rather than empirical research, which is urgently needed to develop and develop informed guidelines for patients with chronic cancer-related pain, "said Salimah H. Meghani, lead author of the article, Penn Nursing, Ph.D., MBE, RN, FAAN, badociate professor of nursing and chair of long-term care in palliative care; Associate Director, NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health; and Principal Investigator at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics.