Pubdate: Tue, 06 Sep 2016
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2016 The New York Times Company
Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Steven A. King

WHAT WE CAN DO TO REDUCE OPIOID OVERUSE

To the Editor:

As a physician who specializes in pain management, I agree that we 
are overusing opioids and underusing other treatments. Certainly, the 
lack of insurance coverage for many of these other treatments is a 
significant problem.

There is an even more important factor, however, that hinders patient 
access to them. Most physicians receive little education on pain 
management in medical school and in postgraduate training. It is 
unrealistic to expect physicians to recommend treatments about which 
they possess little knowledge.

If the surgeon general really wants to have an impact on how we treat 
pain in this country, he needs to address this.

STEVEN A. KING

Philadelphia
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom