Tennessee Department of Health
Andrew Johnson Tower, 5th floor
Nashville, TN 37243
December 30, 2013
To Whom It May Concern:
In accordance the “Addison Sharp Act” passed by the 108th General Assembly and codified in Tennessee Code Annotated § 63-1-401 please click treatment guidelines for the treatment of chronic pain through the use of certain controlled substances.
In 2011 Tennessee had the second highest per captia prescription rate for opioids in the United States. The same year more than 1,000 Tennesseans died of a prescription related overdose. These guidelines were written to define appropriate treatment of chronic pain and to support clinicians in their treatment of chronic pain while, hopefully avoiding addiction and adverse outcomes.
The guidelines were formulated after months of input ranging from the public at large to nationally recognized pain experts and healthcare providers. The guidelines will now be taken around the state and to each of the Health Related Boards that are given by law the ability to prescribe controlled substances for more input before adoption.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Mutter, M.D.
Department of Health