Anyone with pain that requires opioid treatment must read this article on the DEA’s stance on painkillers. In fact, I think everyone who lives in the US should read the article.
Entitled “Treating Doctors as Drug Dealers: The Drug Enforcement Administration’s War on Prescription Painkillers,” this 35-page journal article overflows with illustrative information. Print it out and grab your highlighter. The time investment is well worthwhile.
Here’s the abstract:
Since 2001, the federal government has accelerated its pursuit of physicians it alleges are contributing to an increase of prescription-drug addiction. These highly publicized indictments and prosecutions have frightened many physicians out of the field of pain management, exacerbating an already serious health crisis—the widespread undertreatment of severe chronic pain.
[via Kevin, MD]
I think we should dismantle the DEA. Doctors are now too chickenshit to treat people who are in extreme pain. Like my wife with degenerative disc disease, herniated discs that are crushing nerves in her back. They want to give her Norco which is a joke. Who is getting any pain medications? Seems you can get them anywhere on the street but not from your doctor. Maybe we need to get rid of doctors that aren’t able or willing to treat people.
Just the abstract scares me. I mean, I’m only 18 months into these headaches….I’m frightened at the idea of not being able to find a doc to help me deal with the pain in the long run.
I wrote about this piece a few weeks ago–very very good article.