CDC Issues New Guidelines to Limit Chronic Use of Opioids
Tomas J. Philipson, Ph.D
Founder, Board Member, Former Acting Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Chaired Professor Emeritus - University of Chicago
News: Addressing a growing "epidemic" of opioid overdoses and abuse of the prescribed painkillers in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday (March 15) released voluntary guidelines that instruct primary care doctors to sharply deter use of the medicines for chronic pain. Reuters
Comment: The mortality induced by this epidemic is substantial. It turns out that mortality is actually pro-cyclical with the economy: mortality declines over time are larger in recessions than they are in economic booms. We have estimated that this is quantitatively important in making recessions less harmful and booms less beneficial and thus lowering the value of counter-cyclical Keynesian policies trying to smooth out the cycle; this topic is discussed further in my coauthored NBER paper. However, the recent paper by published by Dr. Christopher Ruhm, Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University Virginia indicates that larger opioid usage in recessions may be dampening this pro-cyclical pattern of mortality.
--pharmacy technician/at home grandma
8 年I am no professional, but when I was last in my position as a Cpht in a retail pharmacy, (2000-2007) I saw the beginning of opioid dependence in Oklahoma. I saw so many Lortab prescriptions! The problem patients were usually one of four types, the legitimate, the people who accidentally got hooked after some sort of surgery, and doctors continued their refills way too long with no gradual downward titration! People who wanted a legal high, and people who diverted them to the street for their own financial gain. Obviously, the laws were much looser then. Towards the end of my tenure, I started seeing a sharp rise in prescriptions for opioids. I personally know people who are addicted to these substances. I see what it does to their quality of life. I am grateful for the new D.E.A system, but more has to be done. Our bodies were created with natural endorphins and other chemical substances to deal with pain. I am not saying that some do not legitimately need pain meds. What I am saying, is I think we need to find other methods of treating moderate pain. Thanks for your article. It was enlightening.