Listen as Stefan Kertesz, MD, MSc, and Kate M. Nicholson, JD, provide unique healthcare professional and patient perspectives on opioid tapering in the setting of chronic pain management. Their conversation includes commentary on the impact of the 2016 and 2022 CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for pain, the importance of informed consent, and the ongoing research regarding risks and consequences of opioid tapers.

Select links to resources related to the content of this podcast episode include:

• Assessing Reasons for Decreased Primary Care Access for Individuals on Prescribed Opioids: An Audit Study journals.lww.com/pain/Citation/2021/05000/Assessing_reasons_for_decreased_primary_care.11.aspx
• Patient-Centered Prescription Opioid Tapering in Community Outpatients With Chronic Pain ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5876887
• Comparative Effectiveness of Opioid Tapering or Abrupt Discontinuation vs No Dosage Change for Opioid Overdose or Suicide for Patients Receiving Stable Long-term Opioid Therapy jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2795159

Stefan G. Kertesz, MD, MSc
Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine
Division of Preventive Medicine
UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Birmingham, Alabama  

Kate M. Nicholson, JD  

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from the Opioid Analgesic REMS Program Companies. Please see

https://bit.ly/3mgrfb9 for a listing of REMS Program Companies. This activity is intended to be fully compliant with the Opioid Analgesic REMS education requirements issued by the FDA.

Provided by Clinical Care Options, LLC and in partnership with the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Alliance to Advance Comprehensive Integrative Pain Management, Practicing Clinicians Exchange, and ProCE.

Link to full program:
https://bit.ly/3mcDHsi