FDA is drawing attention to dental problems linked to buprenorphine-containing medications that are dissolved under the tongue or placed against the inside of the cheek to treat opioid use disorder and pain.

According to CDC, people most often cite pain management as their reason for using medical cannabis in the United States. But according to a new clinical practice guideline published by Busse and colleagues in the September 2021 issue of BMJ, there is weak evidence to support the use of non-inhaled medical cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic pain. The recommendation is based on a robust analysis of results from 32 randomized controlled clinical trials.

In the ongoing aftermath of the opioid crisis, it’s common for physicians to attempt to wean some patients off opioids in favor of alternative means of pain management. But while the goal is increased safety for the patient, opioid tapering does not come without risks. A recent study in JAMA found a significant association between opioid dose tapering and both overdose and mental health crises.

A recent study published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology sheds light on the debate about acetaminophen use for pregnant women. After reviewing the medical literature on the topic going back 25 years, the research team is urging caution on the use of this common OTC during pregnancy because of the strong link associated with adverse neurological, urogenital, and reproductive outcomes in children.

Black and white patients within the same health system are subject to very different opioid prescribing behaviors, a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine points out.