Benzodiazepine Tapering Considerations in General Medicine: Implementing The Joint Clinical Practice Guideline

Benzodiazepine Tapering Considerations in General Medicine: Implementing The Joint Clinical Practice Guideline

Created: June 2026

Online Course

Overview

The Benzodiazepine Tapering Considerations in General Medicine: Implementing The Joint Clinical Practice Guideline is a 4-hour course that translates the Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine Tapering into practical strategies for safer tapering. It equips clinicians with the knowledge and tools to implement evidence-based approaches across various patient populations and practice settings. Participants will understand the key principles of the guideline, learn how to conduct a risk-benefit assessment, and develop, monitor, and adjust individualized tapering plans using a patient-centered approach. Additionally, the course will explore tapering in complex populations, such as older adults and patients with opioid-treated chronic pain, co-occurring mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. The course includes interactive, case-based activities centered on real-world clinical scenarios to help learners practice guideline implementation across diverse populations. By the end of the course, participants will be better prepared to navigate the complexities of benzodiazepine tapering, increase patient engagement, improve patient safety, and reduce the risk of adverse outcomes. 

The target audience for this introductory course is physicians, nurses, NPs, PAs, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, social workers, counselors, psychologists, students, and addiction educators and researchers who work with patients treated with benzodiazepines.

This activity addresses the following ACGME Competencies: Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice, Roles/Responsibilities, Interprofessional Communication, Teams & Teamwork, Patient-centered Care, Medical Knowledge, Practice-based Learning and Improvement, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion, learners will be able to:

1. Apply key clinical takeaways from the Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine (BZD) Tapering to support safe and effective BZD prescribing and tapering practices. 
2. Conduct risk-benefit assessments to inform BZD tapering recommendations and implement strategies to closely monitor patient responses during tapering to inform taper plan adjustments.
3. Employ a collaborative, patient-centered approach to actively engage patients in health care decisions related to BZD prescribing and tapering. 
4. Differentiate between BZD physical dependence and use disorder when developing individualized care plans.
5. Develop individualized care plans that address BZD tapering in special populations: older adults and patients with opioid-treated chronic pain, co-occurring mental health, or substance use disorders.

Acknowledgment

The development of this Guideline was generously funded by grant U01FD007804 from the US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of nor an endorsement by the FDA and Department of Health and Human Services or the US Government. The funders had no decision-making role in designing and conducting the systematic reviews, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data or approval privilege on the recommendations. As requested, FDA officers provided nonbinding feedback and technical support to the guideline panel and methodological team. These guidelines are intended to help inform clinical decision-making by prescribers and patients. They are not intended to be used for the purposes of restricting, limiting, delaying, or denying coverage for or access to a prescription issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of professional practice. 

Registration Rates

*Residents, Fellows-in-training, Interns, and Students must join ASAM to receive a discounted registration rate. Click here to become an ASAM member. National and Chapter membership dues apply. There is no charge for Students to become a Member, but verification of student status is required.

Membership Question?  Call ASAM at 1.301.656.3920, email us, or view the ASAM website for more information.

Refunds & Cancellations

All ASAM e-Learning Center refund requests must be made in writing to Education@ASAM.org within 90 days of purchase. Those requesting refunds for courses that are in progress will receive partial refunds or e-Learning Center credit. Automatic full refunds will be made for any course with a live-course component that has been cancelled.

Open Registration: 6/1/2026 - 5/19/2029

Close Access Date: 6/19/2029

Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to begin this activity. 
2. Click Complete Post Test to answer multiple choice questions. You will have 10 attempts to pass and must answer 5 out of 7 questions correctly.
3. Click Complete Evaluation and Complete Presenter Evaluation to provide valuable activity feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window. 
4. Click the button Claim Medical Credits in the box titled Claim Credits & Certificate. Choose the type of credit and click submit. Click the button View/Print Certificate to save or print your certificate. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the ASAM e-Learning Center, clicking Dashboard, and clicking Transcript/Achievements.

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Accreditation & Credits

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, the American Society of Addiction Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credits Available

• Physicians: 4 Credits
• Nurses & NPs: 4 Nursing Contact Hours
• Pharmacology Hours: 4 Hours
• PAs: 4 Credits
• Pharmacists: 4 Credits
  Pharmacists must claim credits within 30 days and provide their eProfile ID and Birthdate. ASAM will not report credits claimed after 30 days or with incomplete information.
• Social Workers: 4 Credits
• Interprofessional Continuing Education: 4 Credits
• Certified Counselors: 4 NBCC Contact Hours

  

  American Society of Addiction Medicine has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7062. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. American Society of Addiction Medicine is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
• NAADAC: 4 CE Credits

Maintenance of Certification (MOC)/Continuing Certification Program (CCP)

This activity is designed to meet the requirements for MOC/CCP for several primary physician boards and for state licensing CME requirements. MOC Credit is only reported and designated for ABA, ABP, ABIM, and ABS. By completing the online credit application and evaluation, the learner permits ASAM to report credits to the appropriate Board. Learn more.

• ABIM MOC Points: 4 Medical Knowledge | 4 Patient Safety
• ABP MOC: 4 Lifelong Learning & Self-Assessment
• ABS Continuing Certification: 4 Accredited CME
• ABA MOCA 2.0®*: 4 Lifelong Learning | 4 Patient Safety
  MOCA 2.0® is a trademark of the American board of Anesthesiology®.
  This activity contributes to the CME requirement for Part II: Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment of the American board of Anesthesiology's (ABA) redesigned Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program® (MOCA®), known as MOCA 2.0®. Please consult the ABA website, https://www.theaba.org/, for a list of all MOCA 2.0 requirements.

Additionally, this activity has been designed to satisfy the requirements of the following primary physician board certification requirements. Please confirm with your individual Board.

• American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM)
• American Board of Preventative Medicine (ABPM)
• American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)

Certificates for other professions

All participants may request a certificate of participation upon completion of the activity and an online evaluation confirming their participation. Learners are strongly advised to contact their professional licensing board or professional association to confirm this certificate will be accepted as evidence supporting continuing education requirements.

California Association for Drug/Alcohol Educators (CAADE)

This educational program is approved by CAADE: #CP40 999 1225.

California Association of DUI Treatment Centers (CADTP)

This educational program is approved by CADTP: #205.

California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)

This educational program is approved by CCAPP: #OS-20-330-0227.

Disclosure Information

In accordance with the disclosure policies of ASAM and Joint Accreditation, the effort is made to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all accredited continuing education activities. These policies include identifying and mitigating all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies for those involved in the creation and dissemination of accredited continuing education.

The complete list of disclosures and designation statements are linked below.