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The CDC and FDA are trying to cut back opioids by 25% nation wide

Chronic Pain | Last Active: Dec 7, 2016 | Replies (27)
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@predictable

Thanks for your comments, @medpup. I was taken especially by the statement that "They have created a central database to monitor doctors and how many pain prescriptions they are writing a month and to monitor patients and their prescription drug use."

Could you provide some further information? Who is "they?" Where might I find information about the central database and what it is being used for? I would be greatly troubled by monitoring doctors and patients. Thanks.

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Replies to "Thanks for your comments, @medpup. I was taken especially by the statement that "They have created..."
medpup1 | @medpup1 | Dec 3, 2016

I would assume it's the DEA, but I don't know for sure. In late 2015 I visited a Pain management Dr. who was referred by my UCLA Primary Doc. During the course of my final visit he told me that starting on January 1,2016 there was a telephone # he could call that would provide him with my recent history of filing Schedule 2 Rx's. I assume it would tell him the date and the doctor who prescribed it . It would tell him if I was visiting different doctors and asking for the same medication.( Dr. Shopping) I assume they could make assumptions based on that data If I was a Drug Addict ....Drug Seller or engaged in some other illegal activities regarding controlled drugs.
If the data was so compelling, I assume they would talk to the Dr's and finally to me about what I was doing and Why.

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Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor | @predictable | Dec 4, 2016

Thanks, @medpup1. I wonder whether the federal government is focused on catching drug addicts -- in particular patients with real chronic pain problems -- when it collects information on patients' prescriptions -- how many, how often, what drugs, what doctor prescribed them, etc. That seems questionable to me, since federal health policy regards addiction as an illness not a behavioral deviancy or crime. On the other hand, it makes sense that this kind of information collection is aimed at identifying unincorporated drug sellers as well as medical professionals who may be selling prescriptions as a sideline to their regular practice. It may also provide a metric that can be used to identify drug manufactures that are producing more drugs than the government allows them to manufacture. Perhaps others on this discussion can add to the information you provided; we would benefit from a better understanding of how government health policy and government law enforcement policy is coordinated and who gets hurt in all of this.

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Scott, Volunteer Mentor | @IndianaScott | Dec 5, 2016

I won't rehash my prior postings on this, but I, for one, believe the government is not trying to hurt anyone in this. The opioid epidemic in America is devastating and they are trying to address what big pharma and doctors on the take from them have brought on our nation.

It is not some conspiracy to hurt chronic pain patients, but rather to avoid the tragedy of opioid abuse in our nation. Big cities, small towns, rural areas, everywhere.

Big pharma won't police itself.

Just my two cents plain.

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