Pain Management

In addition to laws and regulations, another method of policy development used by states to clarify the role of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain is the use guidelines or policy statements.  A guideline is an official statement of the medical board's attitude or policy about a particular issue.   Although guidelines do not have the legal status of laws or regulations, they do help explain what activities the board considers to be within the boundaries of accepted medical practice. For more information about a specific state policy or guidelines, please visit our Pain Policy Map.

• Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners (1994)

• Alaska State Medical Board (1993)

• Arizona Board of Medical examiners (1990)

• Medical Board of California (1994)

• Colorado Board of Medical Examiners (1996)

• Florida Board of Medicine (1996)

• Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Exam. (1991)

• Idaho State Board of Medicine (1995)

• Maryland Board of Physician Quality (1996)

• Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (1989)

• Minnesota Board of Medical Examiners (1995)

• Montana Board of Medical Examiners (1996)

• New Mexico State Board of Medical Examiners(1996)

• Board of Med. Exam. of the State of N. Carolina (1991)

• Ohio Board of medical Examiners (1996)

• Oklahoma State Board of Medical Examiners (1994)

• Oregon Board of Medical Examiners (1991)

• Rhode Island Board of Medical Examiners (1995)

• State Board of Medical Exam. of South Carolina (1999)

• Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (1993)

• Utah Medical Association (1993)

• Vermont State Board of Medical Examiners (1996)

• Washington State Medical Disciplinary Board (1996)

• West Virginia (1996)

• Wyoming Board of Medicine (1996)

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