Foundations of opioid risk management

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pharmacology
• Health Policy

Background:

• Increased availability of prescription opioids for undertreated pain has led to rising abuse and diversion.
• Opioid risk management aims to reduce harms from opioid therapy while ensuring patient access.
• Addressing these issues requires collaboration among federal, state, industry, practitioner, and patient stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the principles of opioid risk management.
• To examine the epidemiology of prescription opioid abuse in the U.S.
• To identify stakeholders and their roles in managing opioid abuse and diversion.

Main Methods:

• Review of the epidemiology of prescription opioid abuse.
• Identification of key stakeholders and their responsibilities.
• Summary of current monitoring and intervention mechanisms for opioid abuse.

Main Results:

• Prescription opioid abuse and diversion are significant public health concerns.
• Effective opioid risk management necessitates a multi-stakeholder, coordinated approach.
• Current monitoring and intervention strategies have limitations and require further development.

Conclusions:

• Opioid risk management is crucial for balancing pain management with public safety.
• Coordinated efforts among diverse stakeholders are essential for mitigating opioid-related harms.
• Emerging directions in opioid risk management are needed to address current limitations.