As a result of the opioid crisis, many prescribers are opting for non-opioid pain relievers in their patients, despite concerns that doing so will result in inferior pain management compared to opioids. A double-blind, randomized controlled trial published in JAMA suggests that non-opioid alternatives may be just as efficacious as opioids for some painful conditions. A Pharmacy Today article encourages this prescribing practice, stating that doing so will lessen patient predisposition to opioid dependence.
Link to: Pharmacy Today (2/2018) and JAMA (11/2017)