This study only looked at acute pain. Generally those medications are safe for acute pain. (Unless by 'safe and effective' you mean NEVER have side effects, in

This study only looked at acute pain. Generally those medications are safe for acute pain. (Unless by 'safe and effective' you mean NEVER have side effects, in which case we probably don't have any 'safe and effective' medications.) Chronic pain is difficult to deal with and wasn't addressed in this study. Generally opiates are not recommended, but its tough to find other alternatives that are consistently safe. Opiates often end up being used and... epidemic. (... == long complicated story)