Recommendations for Prescribing
Pain Medication at Discharge after Elective Surgery
These recommendations apply to opioid-naïve adult patients who undergo an elective surgical procedure.​ The recommendations are based on the Consensus Statement published in the Canadian Journal of Pain in 2020. This Consensus Statement is intended for use by healthcare providers involved in the management and care of surgical patients.​​
The Consensus Statement aims to encourage healthcare providers to:​
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Minimize the prescription of opioids and encourage the use of nonopioid therapies for postoperative pain to ensure that fewer opioid-containing tablets are available for diversion.
Educate patients and their families/caregivers on pain management options in relation to functional recovery.​
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An update to the Consensus Statement is forthcoming and will be shared on this website prior to the full publication in 2027.
Existing Recommendations
The existing recommendations fall under four categories:
SafeOp - Updating the Recommendations
The University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain, with support from Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program, is leading the SafeOp project to update the "Consensus Statement for the Prescription of Pain Medication at Discharge after Elective Adult Surgery."
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The project’s overarching goal is to prevent harm in the post-discharge setting, both by ensuring effective pain management, and by minimizing opioid-related harms such as misuse and diversion.​​​
To ensure the recommendations reflect the latest evidence and best practices in prescribing pain medication for opioid-naive adults undergoing elective surgery, the SafeOp project will:
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Review the most recent best practices through an expert-led process to inform the updated recommendations.
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Disseminate these recommendations to healthcare providers who prescribe pain medication at discharge from hospital, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, and trainees and share related resources with patients and their caregivers.
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