By:  Joan Cerniglia-Lowensen, Esquire  and Kathryn D. Jackson, J.D.
The nationwide opioid crisis has changed the way the entire health care industry prescribes painkillers. Health care providers are encouraged to view these medications differently. In the past, providers believed that if a patient truly had pain, if opioids were prescribed, there was little risk of addiction. This approach has proven to be both incorrect and dangerous. Federal and state governments alike are setting forth new standards and regulating prescriptions like never before.