If 6 Were 9: The CDC's Prescribing Guidelines and the Veil of Secrecy

On September 16, 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hosted a public webinar where they revealed a draft of their 12 prescribing guidelines for chronic pain. Due to technical difficulties, the entire process was repeated the following day. Concerns over the way the guidelines were introduced was raised by the pain community and, following a congressional inquiry, the CDC decided to offer an extended open comment period that resulted in over 4000 written responses. It is anticipated that the CDC guidelines will be finalized by the time PAINWeek convenes. Panelists will discuss the history of the guidelines as well as their concerns, both procedurally and substantively. (Recorded at PAINWeek 2016)