The FDA/DEA are coming after your CII opiates !!

[mmglobal]

I used to deal with the pain management doctor who was the biggest prescriber of schedule II narcotics in Orange County, CA. Most of the time, he was great! His office was very well run and even back in 2001, was already on board with the safeguards that we see today... contracts with the patients about how they acquire their meds through only one source, no replacement for lost meds, etc...

The reason that I say 'most of the time', he was great is because he complained that he spends 1/2 of his time justifying his practice to the DEA. Whenever I'd see him just after he'd been raked over the coals... he was too conservative. It seemed like he'd forgotten that I had asked to reduce meds last time, with the understanding that if it didn't work out, we'd go back up to the higher dose. I never knew if I was going to be seeing the kind, compassionate pain management doctor that I knew and loved, or the guy who'd just gotten is ass kicked by the DEA for trying to help his patients. Even back then, it was an impossible situation.

Like Steve expressed above, I have never understood why we go berserk about airline safety, when we kill 500 people on the road EVERY HOLIDAY WEEKEND. Much of what the FDA and DEA does is good work that protects us the unscrupulous or careless, but when they go overboard they are more of a hindrance, standing in the way of quality care. I wish we could strike a better balance.

Just my 2 cents.

Mark