Lynn R. Webster,

MD, Senior Fellow

Lynn R. Webster, M.D. is a Senior Fellow at the Center for U.S. Policy, a not-for-profit organization advancing solutions to some of our nation’s most pressing challenges, including the intertwined crises of improperly treated pain, substance misuse, and drug poisonings.

Prior to joining CUSP, Dr. Webster treated people with complicated pain and substance use disorders for more than 20 years. He is board certified in anesthesiology, pain medicine, and addiction medicine. Dr. Webster served as President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine from 2013 to 2014. Dr. Webster was the founder, CEO, and Medical Director of Lifetree Medical Inc., a multi-disciplinary pain practice. In addition, he was the cofounder of a medical research company and has worked within the biopharmaceutical industry to develop safer and more effective therapies for pain and substance use disorders.

Dr. Webster has written more than 300 scientific publications and abstracts. He is the author of The Painful Truth (Oxford University Press) and a co-producer of The Painful Truth documentary, both of which chronicle the lives of people with pain and make a compelling case for treating them with compassion.

Dr. Webster is Senior Editor of the journal Pain Medicine and a regular contributor to Pain News Network. He has been published or quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NBCNews, CNN.com, Chicago Tribune, The Hill, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Salt Lake Tribune, and Huffington Post. He has appeared on national television and radio networks, including ABC News, NPR’s Airtalk with Larry Mantle, and NPR’s Morning Edition. He lectures extensively internationally and is frequently a keynote speaker.

He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Nebraska and completed his residency in the
University of Utah Medical Center’s Department of Anesthesiology.