Updated guidelines for prescribing opioids to treat patients with chronic non-cancer pain in Korea: developed by committee on hospice and palliative care of the Korean Pain Society

There are growing concerns regarding the safety of long-term treatment with opioids of patients with chronic non-cancer pain. In 2017, the Korean Pain Society (KPS) developed guidelines for opioid prescriptions for chronic non-cancer pain to guide physicians to prescribe opioids effectively and safely. Since then, investigations have provided updated data regarding opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain and have focused on initial dosing schedules, reassessment follow-ups, recommended dosage thresholds considering the risk-benefit ratio, dose-reducing schedules for tapering and discontinuation, adverse effects, and inadvertent problems resulting from inappropriate application of the previous guidelines. Herein, we have updated the previous KPS guidelines based on a comprehensive literature review and consensus development following discussions among experts affiliated with the Committee on Hospice and Palliative Care in the KPS. These guidelines may assist physicians in prescribing opioids for chronic non-cancer pain in adult outpatient settings, but should not to be regarded as an inflexible standard. Clinical judgements by the attending physician and patient-centered decisions should always be prioritized.