90% or more of people undergoing total knee or hip replacement in 2017 received a prescription.
The prescription was for opioid pain relievers within 60 days of surgery, reports UPI.
This is up from 82% three years earlier, an 8% difference.
This increase occurred despite efforts to discourage opioid use because of the risk of addiction.
The dramatic increase persists in the face of myriad government and health system policies.
Many guidelines are aimed at reducing opioid over-prescribing but it doesn't seem to curb it.