Opioid Therapy (OT) for Chronic Pain
Publication Date: February 1, 2017
Last Updated: March 14, 2022
Initiation and Continuation of Opioids
a) We recommend against initiation of long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain.
(Strong against)315659
b) We recommend alternatives to opioid therapy such as selfmanagement strategies and other non-pharmacological treatments.
(Strong for)315659
c) When pharmacologic therapies are used, we recommend nonopioids over opioids.
(Strong for)315659
Title
Opioid Therapy (OT) for Chronic Pain
Authoring Organization
Veterans Health Administration / Department of Defense