A new study has revealed that black children in the US who are being treated for acute appendicitis in emergency room are given less painkillers than that given to white children.

According to report of NBC News, researchers noticed that just about 50% children with acute appendicitis in the ER received pain meds, while there are strong recommendations that children with appendicitis in ER should be given painkillers.

Dr. Monika Goyal from the Children’s National Health System in Washington and other researchers of the study said black children with moderate pain were found less likely to be given any analgesia, while black children with severe pain were found less likely to be treated with opioids.

Reacting on the current condition of black patients, experts said, “A combination of fear of opioids and an unconscious bias against black children is likely to blame. Researchers evaluated national survey data from over 900,000 children with acute appendicitis from 2003 to 2010”.

According to the study researchers, they found that just above 50% children in ER were given any painkiller. Just 41% of all children in the emergency room received an opiod drug, while only 12% black children received an opioid drug for their pain.

Lead author of the study, Goyal, said appendicitis is very painful surgical condition whose patients require painkillers. Managing that pain with opioids is the best treatment, she said.