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Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published in the New England Journal of Medicine a long-awaited statement opposing the misapplication of the 2016 opioid prescribing guideline for chronic pain. The CDC clarification is an important step in acknowledging the harms to patients caused from rigid opioid policies that failed to account for individual differences in the experience and treatment of pain and calls for the implementation of best practices in opioid prescribing and de-prescribing. [...]

It has been a busy few months and now I have some great news to share with you! First, let's rewind to the 2016 publication of the National Pain Strategy. That document supported better integration of psychological and behavioral medicine strategies into all levels of pain care in America. And yet, three years later, there has been no clear implementation plan for how to do so. There remains a massive need to uptrain the psychologist and [...]

Healthcare remains a top priority and hotly contested political issue for Americans. Foremost among health concerns are pain treatment, opioids, and access to care. In the run-up to the mid-term elections, The Hill published my Op-Ed on the importance of patient-centered in research, treatment and healthcare policy. A soundbite: “We risk repeating past mistakes by applying a one-size-fits-all regulatory ‘solution’ that fails to address the specific needs of the individual and treat their pain.” Read my [...]

Earlier this month I was honored to be an invited speaker at a Washington D.C. Congressional Briefing focused on the “Opioid Recovery Act of 2018.” The open session drew key stakeholders from varied backgrounds. I used my time to describe how my PCORI-funded research project is an important part of the solution. Latest data suggests that almost 18 million Americans are taking long-term prescription opioids. Currently, there is no good evidence for how to best reduce long-term prescription [...]