Education program for prescribing opioids now available

ACP and its curriculum partner Pri-Med have launched “SAFE Opioid Prescribing,” an online training program to educate clinicians about safety and efficacy when prescribing opioids. The program is available through the ACP and Pri-Med websites.

The curriculum was developed with grant money received from a group of manufacturers of extended-release/long-acting opioid analgesics, a funding strategy established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. The program marks the first time that an FDA-required REMS program included a continuing medical education (CME) component supported by education grants from industry.

REMS-funded training programs for opioid prescribers adhere to the curriculum guidelines put forth in the FDA's Blueprint for Prescriber Education for Extended-Release and Long-Acting Opioid (ER/LA) Analgesics. ACP's curriculum covers all aspects of the FDA blueprint and provides a comprehensive educational program for primary care clinicians to safely and effectively manage patients with chronic pain.