Stephen W. Harden

Chronic nonmalignant pain can be problematic to treat successfully. That sort of pain doesn’t just affect a patient’s body—it touches their work, relationships, sleep, and sense of identity. Tennessee citizen suffering from chronic nonmalignant pain. In Tennessee, where opioid addiction has devastated families and communities, prescribing practice patterns for chronic pain matter more than ever. Tennessee prescribers of controlled substances can reduce the risks of treating chronic pain by...

The opioid crisis is not an abstract problem. It’s here, in Tennessee, claiming lives at a devastating pace. Tennessee leads the nation at 1,447 OUD diagnoses per 100,000 patients . In 2023 alone, 3,616 Tennesseans died from drug overdoses . More than 75% of those deaths involved opioids. And notably, 645 were linked to prescription opioids —a stark reminder that prescribing practices can either save lives or contribute to loss. The numbers behind the crisis are staggering: Overdose deaths:...

Imagine you're driving down a road with clearly posted speed limit signs. Now imagine a second road where there are no speed limit signs—just a sign that says, “Drive responsibly.” Most drivers would feel safer on the road with clear limits. In Tennessee, when it comes to prescribing controlled substances, the state has posted the equivalent of speed limits—and they’re called “policies.” But here’s the kicker: even though the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners (BME) calls them “policies,”...