12.06.2018

Creating Coherent Strategies to Combat the Crises of Opioid Scarcity and Abuse

Opioids are now the leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S. This crisis is driven by inappropriate prescription, unscrupulous drug promotion, regulatory lapses, and lack of reimbursement for nonpharmacologic pain control methods. In addition to hosting an opioid abuse epidemic, the U.S. is also battling parenteral opioid shortages. In this paper, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the sources and state of the opioid shortage crisis are discussed and strategies to ensure that both crises are addressed and simultaneously improved are suggested.

Link to: J Clin Oncol (11/2018) (Available free from Medscape with site registration)