The 2022 CDC guideline provides 12 evidence-based, voluntary recommendations for clinicians prescribing opioids to outpatients aged ≥18 years with acute, subacute, or chronic pain. It emphasizes patient-centered care, recommending nonopioid therapies as first-line treatments and advocating for individualized opioid prescribing when benefits outweigh risks. The guideline removes rigid dosage thresholds,
