An interview with Cindy Steinberg: CDC’s final issued Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

On November 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its final 2022 Clinical Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. Since the introduction of the CDC Guideline in 2016, there has been overwhelming and widespread evidence of serious adverse consequences to thousands of pain patients including forced tapering, hundreds of documented suicides, sudden loss of access to medication triggering withdrawal, dismissal from physician practices, inability to find medical care, and loss of function and quality of life. 

The U.S. Pain Foundation has been a staunch advocate in speaking out about the damage and harm the Guideline has needlessly caused those with chronic pain. We have submitted comments, been interviewed for articles, taken part in panel discussions, podcasts, talk shows, and more to highlight the missing patient voice in the national conversation and controversy surrounding the Guidelines.

Cindy Steinberg, national director of policy and advocacy for U.S. Pain, was interviewed following the release of the document this afternoon by a national news outlet.

Below are her responses to the questions posed.