back pain in 2000. Among individual drugs, ibuprofen and naproxen accounted for most of the prescriptions for traditional NSAIDs (60%), whereas two-thirds of the prescriptions for muscle relaxants were attributable to cyclobenzaprine, carisoprodol and methocarbamol. Prescription of COX-2 inhibitors or muscle relaxants demonstrated wide variations across different regions. Several individual characteristics including age, race and educational level were associated with the prescription of some of the medications. CONCLUSIONS: Neither traditional NSAIDs, nor COX-2 inhibitors, nor muscle relaxants dominated prescriptions for back pain. However, a small number of individual drugs were attributable to most of the prescriptions for traditional NSAIDs or muscle relaxants. The prescription of some of the medications demonstrated wide variations across different regions or different racial and educational groups. More studies are needed to understand why the variations occurred and how to standardize the prescriptions. Head-to-head comparisons of the relative costs and effectiveness among different categories of the medications, especially those drugs that have been most widely prescribed should also be warranted. DISCLOSURES: No disclosures. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: No Conflicts.