More than two years after the federal government released controversial guidelines for prescribing opioids, a new analysis suggests the effort is having an impact as the number of prescriptions for the addictive painkillers has declined.
Here are some numbers: In January 2012, nearly 6,600 opioid prescriptions were dispensed per 100,000 people, but by December 2017, that fell to 4,240. And from the time the guidelines were issued in March 2016 until last December, there were an estimated 14.2 million fewer prescriptions filled than if previous trends continued. There were nearly 1.3 million fewer high-dose prescriptions written as well.
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And how many pain patients have committed suicide?
see below
People in chronic pain are being treated like drug abusers . The reduced amount of opioids dictated by government to drs. has had asigniticant effect on the our quality of life . We are responsible patients who follow their drs orders and proven they have by unnessary monthly visits to count our medication and costly random drug tests. People with chronic pain should NOT BE TREATED AS DRUG ABUSERS . This reduction in pain meds have caused people with chronic pain to no longer be able to complete routine daily activities on their own . We have a moral right to be able to live as close to a normal life as possible. Many can no longer function to the point they remain in bed and substantially limit their ability to care for themselves. THIS IS AS WRONG AS IT CAN BE. It is costly to government as well as patients. Go after illegal dry traffickers, NOT PEOPLE THAT HAVE A-MEDICAL REASON FOR OPIOIDS. Pain clinics with drs certified to treat chronic pain patients AND strict compliance policies should be left alone! On paper what you are doing “looks good “ to people who are not chronic pain suferiers. You are literally ABUSING the people with chronic pain! THE EXPANSION OF TREATMENT FOR DRUG ABUSERS ,LAWS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GO AFTER PEOPLE THAT BREAK THE LAWS SHOULD BE YOUR FOCUS. We are EASY TARGETS . Leave us alone. Go after the drs who don’t use common sense or ethical practices in prescribing pain medication. We have exhausted all options for relief of pain including surgery, physical therapy , other medications and outpatient procedures that have little or no effect in pain management. We don’t enjoy spending money on prescriptions, traveling sometimes long distances for check ups to simple count our medication or expensive random urine tests to verify compliance with our drs. We are treated like we are drug abusers and criminals! Most of us have to endure NEVER ENDING PAIN . The. majority suffer constant pain and opioids are the ONLY WAY we can manage and limit pain. It NEVER GOES AWAY COMPLETELY but it does allow us to live as close to a normal lives as humanly possible .