The Perils of Pain Meds Revisited

Recommendations for first-line, non-opioid integrated approaches to chronic pain management have already been established in rheumatology for the various rheumatic disorders, as well as by the 2016 CDC Guideline, as discussed above. With future estimates of the yearly opioid-related death and addiction rates predicted to rise even further, this nation can no longer afford to wait.

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Stephen G. Gelfand, MD, FACP, FACR, is a rheumatology consultant in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He is also a founding member and serves on the Board of Directors of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, which has been fighting the opioid epidemic since 2010.

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