World's largest opioid review finds they often don't work

World's largest opioid review finds they often don't work

The largest review ever conducted on opioids for acute pain found that these widely prescribed drugs often deliver only small, short-lived benefits. For many common conditions, including some surgeries and kidney stone pain, opioids performed no better than a placebo. Researchers also found higher rates of side effects and warned that dependence can begin after only a short period of use.

Researchers warn: opioids aren’t effective for many acute pain conditions

New research from the University of Sydney challenges the widely held belief that opioids are the most effective 'go-to' option for acute pain.