The Proliferation of Dosage Thresholds in Opioid Prescribing Policies and Their Potential to Increase Pain and Opioid-Related Mortality.

The article highlights the evolution of dosage thresholds, their potential for unintended outcomes and advocates for evaluation of the models and adoption of mandatory education-based alternatives that will provide balance approach to the treatment of pain. Topics discussed include efforts of the state of Washington to reduce overdose by experimenting with the use of total daily dosage in their state prescribing guidelines to trigger recommendation for further action by health care provider.