Chronic Pain and Prescription Painkillers

Prescription opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone are highly effective for treating chronic pain, but they also have severe side effects, including significant potential for abuse. The misuse and abuse of prescription painkillers has become a serious global problem, affecting the health and economic welfare of societies worldwide. Fueling the problem of prescription opioid abuse are "pill mills"-medical operations run by unethical or untrained physicians or pharmacists that over-prescribe narcotics or dispense them for illegal purposes. Although governments have implemented measures to crack down on prescription painkiller abuse, the problem continues to spread. This book explores the issue of chronic pain and the development of opioids. It examines the marketing and promotion of opioids by pharmaceutical companies, as well as other drivers of the opioid epidemic. It evaluates the steps taken by legislative bodies to balance the problem of chronic pain and prescription opioid abuse, and discusses how prescription opioids can be used safely.