Importance Primary care clinicians find managing chronic pain challenging. Evidence of
long-term efficacy of opioids for chronic pain is limited. Opioid use is associated with serious …

Background: Increases in prescriptions of opioid medications for chronic pain have been
accompanied by increases in opioid overdoses, abuse, and other harms and uncertainty …

Importance Harms and benefits of opioids for chronic noncancer pain remain unclear.
Objective To systematically review randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of opioids for chronic …

Description: The American College of Physicians (ACP) developed this guideline to present
the evidence and provide clinical recommendations on noninvasive treatment of low back …

Background: A 2007 American College of Physicians guideline addressed pharmacologic
options for low back pain. New evidence and medications have now become available …

Back pain affects most adults, causes disability for some, and is a common reason for
seeking healthcare. In the United States, opioid prescription for low back pain has …

I focus on issues surrounding the promotion and marketing of controlled drugs and their
regulatory oversight. Compared with noncontrolled drugs, controlled drugs, with their …

Background. Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a chronic pain condition that has
considerable impact on the patient and health care system. Despite advances in surgical …

A difficult decision for physicians who treat patients with chronic pain not associated with
terminal disease is whether and how to prescribe opioid therapy, which can relieve pain and …

Background: Chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) is a major health problem, for which opioids
provide one treatment option. However, evidence is needed about side effects, efficacy, and …