Patient Z

The book explores the impact of stringent opioid prescribing guidelines on pain patients in the U.S., highlighting the shift in 2016 when new regulations limited access to necessary medications for those suffering from severe pain. It critiques the role of the Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing in shaping these guidelines, which have failed to reduce addiction or overdose rates. Through the narrative of Patient Z, it illustrates the broader implications for millions affected by inadequate pain management, advocating for treating addiction as a medical condition rather than restricting pain relief.