Pubdate: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI) Copyright: 2007 Madison Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.madison.com/wsj/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506 Author: June Dahl FEAR OF ADDICTION OVERSTATED Thanks for Sunday's article highlighting the importance of effective pain control. Unrelieved pain has a devastating impact on individuals and society. It can and should be treated. As you reported, there are many therapies for chronic pain. But opioid analgesics (narcotics) got a bad rap in your article. The emphasis was on diversion and addiction, not on the fact that opioids can be critical parts of a treatment regimen that gives quality of life and function to persons with persistent pain. It was disturbing to read the quote from the patient who "occasionally takes Vicodin -- but only half a pill, for fear of becoming addicted." It is a myth that addiction is common with these drugs, and tragic if fear of addiction leads to suffering unnecessarily from pain. There may be medical reasons for being cautious with Vicodin, but fear of addiction should not be one of them. And opioids are not for everyone. As Dr. Nathan Rudin of UW Health's pain clinic stated in the article, "figuring out who is a candidate for treatment with these drugs is a tough call." But some patients are good candidates, and they should get the relief these drugs can provide. June Dahl, UW Medical School, Madison - --- MAP posted-by: Derek