The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued updated guidelines for healthcare professionals and law enforcement personnel on the clinical and regulatory issues of prescribing controlled pain medications.
The guidance follows a 2001 consensus statement by the DEA, Last Acts Partnership, and pain and policy studies group at the University of Wisconsin: “Promoting Pain Relief and Preventing Abuse of Pain Medications: A Critical Balancing Act.”
The new guidance document can be found at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/new.htm.