Black patients were 40% more likely than white patients to report uncontrolled pain scores. New hospital-based pilot programs aim to change that.

Researchers say the findings suggest more clinicians are carefully considering the risks of prescribing opioids.

Hundreds of thousands of surgical and dental opioid prescriptions are filled a month or more after writing, but one state’s law helped reduce this “delayed dispensing”.

Study points to the need to personalize pain-relief approach.

The top 5% of prescribers account for half of opioid prescriptions and high risk prescriptions to children and young adults.

Patients prescribed benzodiazepines and opioids by different providers 20% more likely to overdose, adding to already heightened risk.