Substance Use Tools & Resources    

This guideline updates the state of the science on pain research, care, and education with a particular focus on informing the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) development of a formal method for incorporating individual and societal considerations into its risk-benefit framework for opioid approval and monitoring.

Provides information to increase awareness about how prescription opioids can be addictive and dangerous.

Several clinical experts discuss the importance and the rewards of treating opioid use disorder patients using Medications for Treating Addictions.

Provides recommendations for primary care clinicians who are prescribing opioids for chronic pain outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care. Addresses timing of opioid use for chronic pain; opioid selection, dosage, duration, followup, and discontinuation; and ways to assess risk and address harms of opioid use.

Uses a data-driven approach to help providers choose the most effective pain treatment options and improve the safety of opioid prescribing for chronic pain. Provides informative, case-based content that instructs participants on how the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain can be applied in a primary care practice setting.

Informs prescribers and pharmacists about prescription opioids diverted for nonmedical use, opioid regulatory requirements, value of participating in State-managed prescription drug monitoring programs, risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, and prescriber tactics that may reduce the likelihood of diversion.

Assists primary care providers in determining if an opioid taper is necessary for a specific patient, in performing the taper, and in providing followup and support during the taper.

This is a fact sheet for the OpiSafe website, which provides support for opioid prescribers by performing risk stratification for each patient on the basis of morphine-equivalent dosing ranges, pain and function scores, opioid misuse risk scores, and automated prescription drug monitoring program checks.

Describes eight evidence-based practices aimed at increasing prescriber use of prescription drug monitoring programs.

Explains the risks and side effects of prescription opioids. Provides information on other options to manage pain that should be discussed with the healthcare provider and additional instructions on what to do if prescribed opioids for pain.