New Opioid Analgesic Approvals and Outpatient Utilization of Opioid Analgesics in the United States, 1997 through 2015

Conclusions There has been a dramatic increase in prescriptions dispensed for opioid analgesics since 1997 and an increasing number of opioid analgesic approvals; however, the number of prescriptions dispensed has declined since 2012 despite an increasing number of approvals. Examination of dispensed prescriptions shows a shifting and complex market where multiple factors likely influence prescribing; the approval of new products alone may not be sufficient to be a primary driver of increased prescribing.Visual Abstract An online visual overview is available for this article athttp://links.lww.com/ALN/B705.
Source: Anesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research