CDC Releases Clinical Practice Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Pain (2022)

The CDC has released updated Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain that includes guidance on toxicology testing as a vital part of a medical practice's prescribing program, stating the following:

“Before starting opioids and periodically (at least annually) during opioid therapy, clinicians should consider the benefits and risks of toxicology testing to assess for prescribed opioids and other prescription and nonprescription controlled substances that increase risk for overdose when combined with opioids, including nonprescribed and illicit opioids and benzodiazepines.”

Toxicology testing was promoted as an effective way of identifying patients who may be struggling with adverse drug reactions and was also recommended to “not be used in a punitive manner but should be used in the context of other clinical information to inform and improve patient care.”