Tapering or Discontinuing Opioid Use among Patients with Chronic Noncancer Pain: Update Report
The Medicaid Evidence-based Decisions Project (MED) completed a report on opioid tapering in 2017. The 2017 report concluded that there was limited evidence on harms associated with tapering strategies, and the findings suggested that pain, function, and quality of life might improve during and after opioid discontinuation or dose reduction. Confidence in these findings was limited by the overall very low quality of evidence. An updated report was requested in 2018. This updated report expands the clinical evidence section of the previous report and synthesizes evidence on patient initiated versus non-patient initiated opioid tapering and discontinuation. MED member states approved the public release of this report, Tapering or Discontinuing Opioid Use among Patients with Chronic Noncancer Pain: Update Report.