US warns docs not to abruptly halt opioid pain treatment

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials are warning doctors not to abruptly stop prescribing opioid painkillers to patients who are taking them for chronic pain.
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it will add new advice on how to taper the medications to all opioid painkiller labels, such as OxyContin, Vicodin and dozens of generic pills.
U.S. officials and states have been struggling to fight the opioid epidemic, which includes not only legal painkillers, but also illicit drugs