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New guidelines for prescribing Opioids for acute pain have been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stepping up its efforts to combat Opioid abuse. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, opioid abuse is a common factor behind the alarming epidemic-like increase in suicide rates since 1999. The CDC is using a new system that tracks Opioid overdoses in a timely way using Emergency-Department data.
Personal Impact
The former Director of the CDC, Robert Redfield, said he had personal experience with the effects of addiction as a close family member has struggled with Opioids. Part of his understanding comes from seeing it not just as a public-health person and not just as a doctor. It is something that has impacted him on a personal level.
“Stigma is the enemy of public health,” he said, adding that it is important to find “a path to destigmatize” Opioid use.
This report is not a diagnosis. We hope this information can guide you toward improving your life.
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