ACA Statement on NIH Expert Panel Final Report on Use of Opioids in Chronic Pain

Arlington, Va. -  American Chiropractic Association (ACA) President Anthony Hamm, DC, issued the following comment today on a new report released by an independent National Institutes of Health (NIH) panel about the need for individualized, patient-centered care to treat and monitor the estimated 100 million Americans living with chronic pain. "ACA commends NIH for recognizing the value of an individual, patient-centered and multi-faceted approach to managing chronic pain. It is also interesting to read the conclusion from the panel that widespread opioid use does not provide an effective single approach for the chronic pain patient. Services provided by chiropractic physicians, including those being delivered in integrated community health centers, have proven effective with respect to patient satisfaction. ACA encourages NIH to study all complementary and integrated approaches to chronic pain management, including chiropractic. These integrated approaches can offer a higher degree of patient safety and reduce the use of medications."