Opioid prescriptions for pediatric patients following surgical procedures have dropped significantly

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that opioid prescriptions for children who underwent one of eight common outpatient surgeries declined over a period of five years. These findings suggest that clinicians are using more discretion when considering which pediatric patients require an opioid prescription after their procedures. The findings were published online today by the journal Pediatrics.