Summary:
The issue of the abuse of OxyContin
and other medications needs to be addressed, obviously. Restrictions that will
make it more difficult or impossible for patients who need relief from chronic
pain is not the way to go. Limiting the prescribing of such medications to
specialists only would mean that many patients would lose access to it because
we already have a shortage of such specialists. While those in authority discuss
educating doctors better about the prescribing of pain medications, the also
need to be discussing better education for all medical professionals
regarding pain and pain management in general. Too often, patients with
legitimate pain issues are dismissed as "drug seekers." In their determination
not to give pain medications to drug abusers, they sometimes lose sight of
treating patients with respect and compassion.
In closing, I'd like to remind everyone of two crucial related issues:
- We NEED the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2003 to be passed.
- When the various candidates were campaigning for the election in 2000, many of them promised to see a Patient's Bill of Rights passed. Three years later, it hasn't happened. Why not?
I encourage you to let your Senators and Members of the House know what you expect from the on these vital issues. You can click HERE to find links to directories of the Senate and House to assist you in contacting them.
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Resources:
1 Harris, Gardiner. Drug Panel
Rejects Pleas to Curb Sales of a Widely Abused Painkiller. The New York Times.
September 11, 2003.
² Hammack, Laurence. OxyContin. The Roanoke Times. September 11, 2003.
³ Statistics from the National Institute of
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
