Sample 1: 1991
Almost all papers published in 1991 acknowledged the controversy surrounding opioid prescribing and expressed concern at the lack of definitive scientific evidence about the long-term impacts of opioid use.20–25Most of these articles were empirical trials (66.7%), half of which were animal-based.The authors expressed an interest in trying to better understand pain and pain prevention. These articles generally cited the index paper’s findings as a motivating reason for their early-stage research.
Even though there were concerns about the lack of scientific evidence in 1991 for opioid prescribing, the majority of authors cited the index study neutrally or affirmatively. This is exemplified by Brena, who concludes that “[at] the present level of information, a prudent and unbiased course of action is mandatory. We must limit and resist the use of opioids in non-malignant pain at the clinical level until cross-validated empirical answers … are available.”21