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.

Study looks at trends before and after 2016 guide for prescribers was released.

Effective pain control with equal short-term outcomes and patient satisfaction seen in patients who got non-opioid pain medication.