CUSP Response to CDC

CDC Revised Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

In 2016, before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published its opioid prescribing guidelines, I expressed skepticism in an interview with Pain Medicine News about the guideline’s potential unintended consequences. At the time, I cautioned that the guideline, while intended to address opioid misuse, could inadvertently harm patients who rely on opioids for effective pain management. I was concerned that the guideline’s recommendations might be misinterpreted as rigid rules rather than flexible clinical guidance, leading to a host of negative outcomes.

Regrettably, these predictions have materialized. The guideline has often been adopted as a de facto standard of care by regulatory bodies, payers, and policymakers, limiting access to appropriate pain management for many patients. It has also contributed to legal and regulatory actions that misapply the guideline, turning it into a punitive measure rather than a tool for improving care.

Below is a letter we recently submitted to the CDC. It is co-signed with Michael Barns (Chairman) for the Center for U.S. Policy. We outlined the significant legal and public health impacts of the 2016 and 2022 revised guideline. This letter highlights ongoing issues, including patient abandonment, the misuse of the guideline in prosecutions under the Controlled Substances Act, and the broader chilling effect on pain management practices.

  CUSP response to CDC   

2 Comments

  1. DL on January 27, 2025 at 11:25 am

    Thank you for your commitment to advocating for pain patients. My gratitude is without measure.

  2. Donna C on January 31, 2025 at 11:20 am

    Than you Dr. Webster for your efforts in highlighting the damages done to pain patients due to these mislead guidelines, and advocating for patients in pain.
    I am hoping with the new administration something will change for the better with all who suffer with debilitating pain.

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