Opioids, also known as opiates, serve as important prescription medications in medical practice. But within the last decade or so, because of their overuse, misuse and abuse, they’ve also emerged as a leading cause of addiction and death.
Sadly and surprisingly, those most instrumental in creating this epidemic — however unwittingly — are physicians and the pharmaceutical industry.
The question is, how could this crisis have happened? What responsibility should physicians take, and what culpability do drug companies have? And what’s the best solution to the different aspects of the problem?
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the first-ever guidelines for opioids. Aimed at primary care physicians, the new national standards for these prescription painkillers are a definite step in the right direction.
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