In 2010, more than 20 million people insured by statutory health insurance were treated with prescription pain medications on an outpatient basis, around half of whom were older than 60 years. These analgesics can be classified according to the WHO grading scheme. Non-opioid analgesics, low-potency opioid analgesics in combination with non-opioids and strong opioids in combinations form the three levels of the scheme. As an analysis by INSIGHT Health shows, there are age- and gender-specific abnormalities within the statutory health insurance system with regard to the extent of medication provision for pain patients. The use of pain medications that are on the Priscus list is also not uncommon in older people.

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