Press Announcements > Statement by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on balancing access to appropriate treatment for patients with chronic and end-of-life pain with need to take steps to stem misuse and abuse of opioids

Press Announcements > Statement by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on balancing access to appropriate treatment for patients with chronic and end-of-life pain with need to take steps to stem misuse and abuse of opioids





Statement by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on balancing access to appropriate treatment for patients with chronic and end-of-life pain with need to take steps to stem misuse and abuse of opioids

The opioid epidemic continues to take an emotional, physical and financial toll on Americans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is committed to taking every possible step to address the many facets of this complex public health crisis.

While we work to ensure appropriate and rational prescribing of opioids, we won’t lose sight of the needs of Americans living with serious chronic pain or coping with pain at the end of life. They too face significant challenges.

So, as we consider new policy steps to address the opioid addiction crisis, the FDA remains focused on striking the right balance between reducing the rate of new addiction by decreasing exposure to opioids and rationalizing prescribing, while still enabling appropriate access to those patients who have legitimate medical need for these medicines.

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