Cmaj Podcasts

Send us a textA recent article in CMAJ entitled Effect of emergency department opioid prescribing on health outcomes examines a key concern facing many clinicians: can a single opioid prescription for acute pain lead to long-term harm? This study aimed to clarify the risks and inform safer prescribing practices.Dr. Grant Innes, the study’s senior author, analyzed more than a decade of data from Alberta emergency departments to compare outcomes between patients who did and did not receive an opioid prescription. The study found no significant difference in rates of overdose, opioid use disorder, or death—challenging widely held fears about short-term opioid use. Innes notes that older and opioid-naive patients may be more vulnerable to adverse outcomes and encourages a balanced approach to pain management.Dr. Hance Clarke, director of pain services at Toronto General Hospital, emphasizes the importance of structured follow-up and monitoring, especially for patients at higher risk of persistent use. He outlines