The medical community was misled about the addictive nature of opioids from "summary" of Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
For decades, a pervasive belief took root within the medical community: that opioids, when prescribed judiciously, posed minimal risk of addiction. This notion, bolstered by a range of studies and the assurances of pharmaceutical representatives, painted a reassuring picture. Physicians were encouraged to view these powerful painkillers as safe tools in their arsenal, particularly for patients suffering from chronic pain. The narrative was simple: effective pain management equated to improved quality of life, and addiction was a rare side effect.
Prominent among these misleading assurances was a 1980 letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which downplayed the risk of addiction to prescription opioids. This singular assertion gained traction, creating a false sense of security. Doctors, eager to alleviate suffering, began to prescribe opioids with increasing frequency, often without sufficient consi...
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