NY Times Article: Obama Wants Doctors To Be Certified To Dispense Opiates

This is an interesting article in the Times about new legislation to try and curb opiate abuse. From what I gather, doctors will be required to take some sort of short course (perhaps similar to Suboxone) in order to be able to write scripts for drugs such as Dilaudid, Oxycontin and other highly potent painkillers.

NY Time: Obama Serious About Reducing Opiate Abuse

Of course, I’m all for curbing abuse of these medications -especially Oxycontin- but it goes back to the prevailing argument that any such legislation will hurt people in need more than it will help reduce the illicit use of opiates. Perhaps it will help. I just don’t see why they don’t just call the National Guard into Florida and firebomb every “Pill Mill” in the state. Ah well, I’m sure the legislation will be contentious.

How will it affect those who are dependent upon opiates?:

Well that’s pretty simple really. If you get them illegally now, you will have a harder time doing so IF the legislation goes through. If you truly need them, it may be a nuisance but eventually you will either find a doctor who is certified or -the more likely scenario- your doctor will get certified and you won’t miss a beat.

Ultimately, there’s a long way to go until this legislation is ironed out. I’ll post more info here if I get any.

-George