U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Opioids

Chronic pain is common, multidimensional, and individualized. Treatment can be challenging for healthcare providers as well as patients.

Since 1999, deaths involving prescription opioids have increased by more than five times, and over 200,000 people have died from prescription opioids.¹ The recommendations in the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain focus on clinical practice and provide evidence and guidance to improve how these drugs are prescribed—and ultimately improve patient care.