Opioid addiction is a growing problem with no easy answers. Addiction to anything is difficult to beat, and many times the education and resources necessary to overcome dependency just aren’t readily available.
But state and federal leaders, as well as the health care community, are looking at ways to prevent opioid addiction from spreading. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday unveiled new recommendations for doctors who prescribe opioids for pain, the Gazette-Mail’s Lydia Nuzum reported.
“The guidelines recommend that doctors avoid opioids as a first choice in treating musculoskeletal pain and should attempt to treat pain without medication or without opioid medication. When opioids are deemed necessary, they should be given in the lowest possible dose and with clear plans for how long they will be administered,” Nuzum reported.
The guidelines are just that, and adhering to them is strictly voluntary. But as Dr. Carl Sullivan, director of the addiction program for WVU Medicine, said, the recommendations allow doctors to move away from prescribing practices that have become the norm in recent decades.
“I’m a lifelong addiction doctor in West Virginia, and I was ecstatic to see the CDC take a very firm and very coherent stance on the problem of prescription opioids,” Sullivan said. “It gives doctors, residents and medical students a blueprint from which we can work so that we can start to deal with this more effectively.”
It is important to note that not every patient prescribed opioid medications becomes addicted. But for many, a simple prescription is where the issues begin.
“West Virginians know the harmful effects of prescription drug abuse with many stories starting with addiction to painkillers,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. “Having clear rules of the road to guide prescribing practices will help physicians better understand the risks associated with prescription opioids and determine the best treatment for chronic pain management.”
Treating addiction when it has already taken root presents many problems, but few solutions. Many have gone through detox and rehabilitation and have been successful, but for others addiction to opioids often ends in prison or death.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Kudos to the CDC and others for bold leadership on a pervasive issue that affects to some degree nearly every West Virginian. But these recommendations are just one step toward solving the problem. We urge others to continue thinking of realistic solutions that can reduce dependency and help save lives.