Treating pain without opioids has become possible for many patients through novel drugs approved by a regulatory process called 505(b)(2). Now, access to these treatments is in jeopardy.
Victory over pain is the greatest gift an anesthesiologist like me can offer his patients. I discovered that firsthand when I switched from general surgery to anesthesiology 20 years ago.
When doctors like myself have the freedom to prescribe effective, FDA-approved treatments to their patients, everyone wins. But deciding the right type, dose and duration of pain medications can be challenging.
Even as COVID-19 dominates headlines, the opioid crisis continues.
Chronic diseases have a way of rewriting people’s life plans. Just consider my longtime dream of being a college athlete.
As outlined in The Journals of Gerontology, researchers found that opioid use is “significantly” linked to an increased risk of falls and fall injuries among seniors.
Pain is a single word with a thousand different meanings, as the sixth annual Summit on Balanced Pain Management made clear. So if policymakers want to tackle America’s pain problem, they should begin by embracing Read more…
Medicare beneficiaries with low back pain could soon have a new treatment option available: acupuncture.
from the Institute for Patient Access Two new publications make it clear: Patients in pain need access to integrative, comprehensive care. Newly adopted policies from the American Medical Association say that utilization management policies such as prior Read more…
from the Institute for Patient Access Difficult trade-offs have plagued arthritis patients for long enough. For years, some patients were torn between debilitating inflammation or treatment with potentially addictive opioids. Now, with opioid prescribing on Read more…