CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines Update

This presentation reviews the updated 2022 CDC opioid prescribing guidelines and their impact on pain management. It outlines the consequences of the 2016 guidelines—such as abrupt discontinuation, rigid dose limits, and patient abandonment—and emphasizes safer, evidence-based practices. Key updates include eliminating strict MME thresholds, tailoring therapy for new and legacy patients, prioritizing non-opioid and interventional modalities, and avoiding abrupt tapers. The talk stresses risk assessment, patient education, strategic short-term dosing, and integration of naloxone and PDMP monitoring. It also addresses the ongoing opioid crisis, rising fentanyl-related deaths, and the importance of collaboration, access to treatment, and expanding alternative pain management strategies.