Mayo Clinic opioid expert appointed to serve on new pain management task force

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May 8, 2018 | Halena Gazelka | @halenamga

Original post via Mayo Clinic News Network

Halena Gazelka, M.D., chair, Mayo Clinic Opioid Stewardship Program, has been appointed by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to serve on the newly established Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force. Established by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, the task force will identify inconsistencies in pain management best practices among federal agencies and propose solutions to resolve these inconsistencies.

"The consequences of opioid and prescription drug abuse are felt acutely across our nation," says Dr. Gazelka, a Mayo Clinic anesthesiology who practices pain medicine in Rochester. "For the first time in almost 20 years, life expectancy decreased for U.S. citizens, compared with citizens of other developed countries. And opioid overdoses contributed to the decline. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve at this task force and contribute to developing prescribing guidelines rooted in science and evidence-based practices for pain management."

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