IASP World Congress highlights need for unified guidelines on opioid use in chronic pain: GlobalData

At the recently held International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) World Congress, a presentation during a topical workshop revealed significant discrepancies in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) across countries for opioid use in chronic pain management. The inconsistencies raise concerns about the role of CPGs in the overprescription of opioids, potentially exacerbating the risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) among chronic pain patients, according to GlobalData.

The findings presented at IASP World Congress indicate the need for updated and more stringent clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for prescribing opioids in the management of chronic pain.

Jos Opdenakker, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, states, “In August 2024, GlobalData surveyed 110 high-prescribing psychiatrists, addiction specialists, neurologists, and primary care physicians from eight major markets (The US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Australia, and Canada) on the types of opioids their OUD patients abused. Prescribers indicated that the most common opioid of abuse was oxycodone, a semi-synthetic opioid used medically for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.”

The IASP session also outlined findings from a systematic review of CPGs on the interventional management of lower back pain. It was found that there was no consistency in recommendations for or against any interventional procedure, including opioid therapy.

“Such an inconsistency raises questions around the role CPGs play in the overprescription of opioids and the subsequent rising rates in OUD prevalence,” adds Opdenakker.

GlobalData epidemiologists anticipate the prevalence rate of OUD across the eight major markets to reach 2.9 million by 2028. A review of CPGs pertaining to opioid therapy for the management of chronic pain and OUD treatment is required to avoid a potential exacerbation of projected prevalence rates.

Opdenakker concludes, “Based on the IASP discussions and physician feedback captured by GlobalData, there is a clear need to review the current CPGs to address the inconsistencies and establish a consensus on opioid therapy recommendations for chronic pain management. This review is essential to develop an approach that safeguards chronic pain patients from an elevated risk of opioid use disorder (OUD).”