NSC supports development of opioid prescribing guidelines

The National Safety Council, together with 17 other advocacy groups, has voiced support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s efforts to create guidelines for doctors who prescribe opioid painkillers.

“As leaders of national, state and local organizations concerned with public health, we share your goal of addressing the rising rate of prescription drug overdose injuries and deaths,” the groups state in a letter sent Nov. 17 to Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Matthews Burwell, noting that “it is individuals suffering from chronic pain that have been disproportionately harmed by aggressive opioid prescribing.” In a press release, NSC states that “having prescribing guidelines will help doctors make informed decisions and lead to better overall patient care.”