Doctors need access to education and training programs that are free of industry bias.

By Andrew Kolodny; President of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing and chairman of the department of psychiatry at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City

Doctors have contributed to an epidemic of overdose deaths and addiction by overprescribing opioids. We didn’t do this out of malicious intent. For most of us, it was a desire to treat pain more compassionately that led to overprescribing. To bring this public health crisis under control, doctors must prescribe more cautiously.

In response to an industry-funded campaign, sales for opioids increased exponentially. Doctors were taught that unrealistic fear of addiction was resulting in needless suffering and that opioids would provide long-term relief of chronic pain. Doctors were misinformed.

Prescribing opioids short-term for acute pain and in palliative care is not controversial. But their widespread use for chronic pain may actually harm more people than it helps. Many patients on long-term opioids continue to suffer from significant pain and dysfunction. We have also come to realize that addiction and other serious side effects are common.

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