A statement from the American Academy of Pain Medicine

As pain physicians, our primary commitment is to provide the best possible care and treatment to our patients. The Academy’s policies prohibit our education and advocacy positions to be compromised by outside influences, such as pharmaceutical companies, just as newspapers and other media outlets don’t allow advertising to compromise their editorial integrity.

The CDC Guideline was created to promote safer use of opioids—not to prohibit their use. The Academy supports the Guideline and believes that opioids should be considered as part of a comprehensive pain management plan. Anything less could put the health of our patients at risk.