NASEM issues major report on pain management and opioid use The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) issued a report last week, "Pain Management and the Opioid Epidemic: Balancing Societal and Individual Benefits and Risks of Prescription Opioid Use," detailing the dual public health challenges of undertreated pain and opioid use disorder. The report, requested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), highlights actions health care professionals and government agencies could take to stem the prevalence of opioid misuse without denying access to opioids for patients suffering from pain. The 18-member committee that worked over a year ... July 24, 2017 General Drug Prescribing Opioids, Opioids, Pain Medicine, Prescription Drugs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Prescription drug safety during Pain Awareness Month The California Medical Association (CMA) is raising awareness on the issue of pain and its proper management this September in recognition of National Pain Awareness Month. Chronic pain — i.e. pain that persists for a protracted period of time — impacts approximately 100 million adults in America and costs the country up to $635 billion annually in lost productivity and treatment, according to a 2011 Institute of Medicine report. CMA has developed and compiled resources to help further inform physicians and educate the public on the impacts of pain, as ... September 13, 2016 General Drub Prescribing, Opioids, Pain Medicine, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
Chronic pain and opioid treatment guidelines for injured workers now in effect The California State Division of Workers’ Compensation’s (DWC) new guidelines on the treatment of chronic pain and opioid prescribing for injured workers are now in effect. The guidelines include best practices and universal precautions for safe and effective prescribing of opioids for pain due to a work-related injury. According to DWC, the new guidelines encourage safer prescribing of opioid pain relievers with the primary goal of significantly reducing the rate of opioid-related adverse events and substance misuse and abuse. Since 2014, the California Medical Association (CMA) has provided input to the ... August 25, 2016 General Drug Prescribing, Opioids, Pain Medicine, Workers' Compensation, Division of Workers' Compensation 0 0 Comment Read More »
UHC to require prior authorization for select musculoskeletal and pain management procedures As indicated in its January 2015 Network Bulletin, United Healthcare (UHC) will begin requiring prior authorization for certain additional musculoskeletal and pain management procedures effective April 4, 2016. Included in the new prior authorization requirement are various arthroscopy procedures, spine-related surgeries, neurostimulators for back pain and certain foot surgical procedures. For a complete listing of procedures requiring notification, physicians can access the Advance Notification Requirements on the UHC website. Prior authorization will be required for services performed in all places of service settings, including inpatient/outpatient hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers ... February 9, 2016 General, Managed Care Preauthorization, United Healthcare, Pain Medicine 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA urges CDC to revise its proposed guidelines on prescribing opioids for chronic pain The California Medical Association (CMA) has submitted written comments on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) draft guidelines that provide clinical practice recommendations on the prescribing of opioids for treatment of chronic pain. CMA previously submitted comments on the CDC guidelines that raised concerns regarding the lack of transparency and public input involved in developing the guidelines. While the CDC guidelines claim to be advisory recommendations for use by primary care providers who are treating patients with chronic pain in outpatient settings, CMA is concerned that the CDC ... January 25, 2016 General Opioids, Pain Medicine, Prescription Drugs, Regulatory Advocacy, Drug Prescribing 0 0 Comment Read More »
