Topic: opioids

It’s hard to believe any American physician is unaware of the epidemic, but it appears that many have taken the position that it’s not their problem.

Be sure to tell them to focus more on the positive things their loved one is doing versus what s/he has done wrong in the past.

It’s no accident (physicians) choose this often challenging work, and it genuinely bothers them when they can’t relieve a patient’s discomfort.

As tired or sleep-deprived or in pain as he might have been that night, if he hadn’t taken the drugs, would he still be alive?

The pharmaceutical industry, in spite of their immense resources, may not be the best candidate to come up with a solution.

A substantial number of patients will wind up taking these meds on a more or less permanent basis, so lifetime costs should be considered.

We routinely received assurances from experts that abuse and addiction were not going to be a big problem once access to opioids had been greatly expanded.

It doesn’t help that many states are cutting back funds for low-cost treatment, mostly due to budget problems.

Suboxone isn’t detectable on many drug screens, and that means it brings a higher price in the correctional facility.

It may turn out that chronic pain, like addiction, is one of those conditions that responds best to an approach that’s both individualized and ongoing, and requires considerable commitment on the patient’s part.