title: Opioid prescribing: guidelines, laws, rules, regulations, policies, best practices.
abstract: Prescription drug abuse, misuse and unintentional overdose deaths are major public health concerns and have captured the attention of regulators at every level. There is no shortage of guidelines, laws, rules, regulations, and policies regarding opioid prescribing. Physicians struggle with their duty to treat pain, and yet balance this against the risk to patients as well as the potential for diversion. There are gaps in policy and resources such as lack of interdisciplinary pain clinics, addiction treatment, and education for prescribers and patients.
authors.affiliation: Chief Administrative Officer of the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline for the State of Rhode Island.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012237:Rhode Island
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid
keywords: Prescription drug abuse; accidental deaths; www.health.ri.giov/saferx; www.health.ri.gov/painmeds