Pubdate: Fri, 09 Sep 2005
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2005 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: Jessica Heslam
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)

PATIENTS GETTING RUNAROUND WITH LEGITIMATE OXY RX

As federal and state lawmakers rally to crack down on the Bay State's 
OxyContin epidemic, critics say pain specialists nationwide are being 
unfairly targeted and people with chronic pain are suffering needlessly.

"The war on drugs has become a war on sick people and doctors are caught in 
the cross fire," said Harvard-trained Dr. Frank Fisher, a California pain 
doctor who was slapped with drug and murder charges in 1999 that were later 
dropped.

Fisher is among a group of experts meeting today at a Washington, D.C., 
conference to discuss the effects of the Drug Enforcement Administration's 
"war on prescription painkillers."

The government's campaign has doctors "scared to death" to prescribe 
certain painkillers and patients who need them can't find physicians to 
treat them, said Radley Balko, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute, host 
of the conference.

Federal and state lawmakers have filed bills to have OxyContin banned in 
Massachusetts and nationwide. Lawmakers are holding a congressional hearing 
in Boston next week to look into the state's drug epidemic and investigate 
the regulation of prescription painkillers - including OxyContin -- nationwide.

While officials say OxyContin abuse is a growing problem in Massachusetts, 
those who need the powerful painkiller are suffering.

Evelyn Daniel of Cambridge was hospitalized for five days last month after 
having a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

Daniel was given a prescription for OxyContin but was unable to fill it for 
24 hours.

Hospital staff didn't prepare Daniel for the trouble she would have. 
Because pharmacies have been robbed, many don't stock OxyContin and opt to 
order the pills, which can take anywhere from one to several days to arrive.

Daniel said she called several pharmacies and one pharmacist even refused 
to discuss the prescription over the phone.

"It was just an absolute nightmare. I toughed it out until I could get it," 
Daniel said. "These drug addicts are making it difficult for people who 
really need the drugs."
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman