The Health and Human Services Department published new guidance for physicians treating patients that have prescriptions for opioids, recommending that they do not abruptly reduce dosages for people dependent on the drugs to manage chronic pain. Health officials released the guidelines in an attempt to help curb opioid prescriptions overall without harming patients that are using opioid painkillers appropriately, as some experts have raised concern that withholding safe drugs from patients will drive them to the black market.
