Patient-centered prescription opioid tapering in community outpatients with chronic pain.
This prospective cohort study found that many outpatients treated at a chronic pain clinic were willing to voluntarily taper opioid medications. Although nearly 40% of patients dropped out of the study, those that remained significantly reduced their opioid dosing. The authors suggest that offering a voluntary gradual opioid taper to patients with chronic pain may reduce their opioid dose.