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Opioid Consortium Submits Comments on CDC Proposed Guidelines

The Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium earlier this month submitted comments expressing support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) proposed revisions to guidelines on prescribing opioids for chronic pain.

In comments, Brian Lane, president & CEO of The Center for Health Affairs, and Joan Papp, MD, chair of the Opioid Consortium and director of The MetroHealth System’s Office of Opioid Safety, embraced the CDC’s effort to take a more patient-centered approach and voiced appreciation that the proposed revisions seek to address concerns from clinicians regarding the current guideline.

The comment letter applauded the CDC’s efforts to remove arbitrary restrictions and thresholds and provide a balanced set of guidelines that minimizes risk for opioid naïve patients while also providing flexibility to allow for individualized supportive care for patients with chronic pain. The comments also encouraged the strengthening of language and recommendations related to abrupt tapering and discontinuation of opioids, due to the associated risks, as well as additional caution for all central nervous system depressants, recognizing that medications other than benzodiazepines also incur risk of oversedation and overdose.

The proposed guideline revisions were published in the Federal Register on Feb. 10, with a comment period that closed on April 11.

The Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium is a physician-led, hospital-driven collaboration working to mitigate the opioid crisis. Its three-year strategic plan is focused on the areas of education and patient management, harm reduction, treatment, prevention, data, and policy solutions.

For more on the Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium, contact us.