For the first time, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, will bring together the research and clinical practice communities to draw attention to the growing problem of prescription opioid misuse by patients with chronic, nonmalignant pain conditions. Currently, the most powerful treatments available for most forms of pain are opioids. However, opioid treatment can produce negative health consequences, such as intoxication, impairment and physical dependence, and may result in opioid abuse and addiction. The goal of this two-day meeting is to inform researchers and practitioners about the state of the science of the intersection of addiction and pain management. The meeting is co-sponsored by the American Medical Association and the NIH Pain Consortium.