Training Health Care Providers on Pain Management and Safe Use of Opioid Analgesics-Exploring the Path Forward; Public Workshop; Request for Comments

As part of the work by the Federal Government to address the epidemic of prescription and illicit opioid abuse, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is announcing a public workshop to obtain input on issues and challenges associated with Federal efforts to support training on pain management and the safe prescribing, dispensing, and patient use of opioids (safe use of opioids) for health care providers. As discussed in this document, the workshop has three main goals. First, participants will be asked to discuss the role that health care provider training plays, within the broader context of ongoing activities, to improve pain management and the safe use of opioids. Second, participants will be asked to comment on how best to provide health care providers, who prescribe or are directly involved in the management or support of patients with pain, appropriate training in pain management and the safe use of opioids. Finally, participants will be asked about the issues and challenges associated with possible changes to Federal efforts to educate health care providers on pain management and the safe use of opioids. Participants are expected to include individuals from a broad set of Federal, State, and private stakeholder groups that are working on the challenges of improving pain management while addressing the opioid abuse epidemic. The Federal Agencies participating include FDA, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Indian Health Service. Public participation and comment are encouraged.