The American Medical Association (AMA) reports encouraging progress: U.S. opioid overdose deaths dropped by nearly 27% between 2023 and 2024. At the same time, prescription opioid misuse has continued to decrease nationwide, with opioid prescribing down by more than 50% since 2012.

SPPM leadership, including Dr. Rita Agarwal and Dr. Robert Wilder, and have been at the forefront of this effort, helping practitioners navigate the balance between pain care and opioid safety. As authors of the 2024–2025 American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Practice Guideline, they and their colleagues produced the first national recommendations for acute pain management tailored for children and adolescents in outpatient settings. This work delivered updated, evidence-based guidance on pediatric opioid prescribing, underscoring how pediatric pain specialists are driving safe best practices.

The AMA update also highlights:

• Polysubstance use remains high, with fentanyl and stimulants combined in nearly half of overdose deaths.
• Emerging substances such as xylazine, tianeptine, and nitrous oxide misuse pose new public health threats.
• State-level policy should move away from rigid prescribing limits and toward individualized, patient-centered care.

Though not strictly “pediatric pain,” the overdose epidemic represents the flip side of our work: ensuring that efforts to relieve suffering do not inadvertently fuel addiction or harm.

Full AMA Brief: Read here