This article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared on American Council on Science and Health’s website on September 11, 2025. Sanjay Gupta’s new book, It Doesn’t Have to Hurt, arrives with a breezy promise that will sound, at best, naïve to people who wake to severe pain every day. In his recent media interviews,…
Read MoreThis article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared on Pain News Network on September 1, 2025. Awake, Not Woke: How Politics in Medicine Harms Patients By Lynn R Webster M.D. Somewhere between facts and social media, “woke”—a perfectly good word for being awake to reality—got transmogrified into a slur. If that alchemy puzzles you,…
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This article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared in Pain Medicine News on August 15, 2025. In nearly every medical journal, academic conference or government advisory panel, experts are required to disclose any financial relationships that could influence their views. This is a good and necessary practice. Monetary incentives can bias outcomes,…
Read MoreThis article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared on Pain News Network on July 23, 2025 On July 15, The Washington Post published an editorial urging states to use opioid settlement funds to expand naloxone access and addiction treatment programs. These are sound public health goals. But the editorial’s framing — tying these investments…
Read MoreI recently had the opportunity to contribute a short educational video for VuMedi, a trusted platform used by over 900,000 physicians, including members of leading institutions like the Cleveland Clinic and the University of Chicago. VuMedi invited me to share insights on the treatment of acute pain—an area I’ve dedicated much of my career to…
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This article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared in The Salt Lake Tribune on May 28, 2025. As a Utah-based physician who has spent more than 40 years treating people in pain and those struggling with addiction, I have witnessed how a single intervention — at the right moment — can mean the…
Read MoreIn 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…
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This article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared on Pain News Network on December 12, 2024. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a collective shift in societal attitudes, where deep-seated anger and disillusionment are driving public narratives in unsettling ways. Three seemingly unrelated phenomena—the public applause for opioid lawsuit settlements,…
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For over 50 years, the biopsychosocial model of pain management has been the gold standard for treating chronic pain. This holistic approach integrates biological, psychological, and social factors to provide a comprehensive treatment of pain that addresses not just the physical aspects of pain, but its emotional and social impacts as well. Yet, even within…
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Here is an original poem that I wrote as a tribute to President Joe Biden. With gratitude and respect, Lynn R. Webster, MD President Biden In the land of liberty, hearts intertwine, with leaders’, steadfast and fine. Joe Biden, through trials, stands tall, in sacrifice and duty, he answers the call. …
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