The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today issued a new patient-friendly resource on prescription opioids. 

“Every day, hospitals see how misuse of and overdose from prescription opioids affects patients’ families, loved ones and communities,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “We want patients to have open, honest conversations with their care providers about the best way to manage pain. The goal is to help patients manage their pain and continue to lead healthy, productive lives. We are pleased to work with the CDC to develop and share this new resource with hospitals and care providers across the country.”

Patients and consumers can use the resource to talk to their physicians about the risks and benefits of prescription opioids, how to use these medications as safely and effectively as possible, and ways to manage pain that do not involve prescription opioids.

The new patient resource is available on CDC.gov and AHA.org. For more information on how the AHA and CDC are addressing the opioid abuse crisis: 

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