DEA crackdown hurts nursing home residents who need pain drugs

The Washington Post ^ | 10/29/2009 | Carrie Johnson

[piperpilot]

Heightened efforts by the Drug Enforcement Administration to crack down on narcotics abuse are producing a troubling side effect by denying some hospice and elderly patients needed pain medication, according to two Senate Democrats and a coalition of pharmacists and geriatric experts.

[piperpilot]

For once, I agree with the Dem senators who wrote this letter to the DEA. In its zeal to crack down on "diversion," the DEA is causing nursing home and hospice patients to be denied needed pain medication. The coalition discussed in the article conducted a survey of nursing homes, hospices, doctors and others in the long term care field, and asked for feedback about what they are experiencing as a result of the DEA's crackdown. Some of the responses received are absolutely appalling. Elderly patients who were being treated with morphine and other strong pain killers in the hospital are being released to nursing homes with orders for Tylenol; others have to wait for two days or more to get adequate pain medication. In the meantime, they are suffering tremendously.

[scan59]

If our government had any real compassion, and not a drug war agenda, we would give terminal cancer patients heroin. What, they’re going to get addicted?

[Steamburg]

If you aren’t getting support for the public option, shut off the drugs to the old folks, that’ll make them come around. Just one more example of an enemies list and using a Federal Agency to crush the opposition.

Just watch, they are already considering linking gun ownership to unhealthy living under CDC and they are planning regulation to tax gun ownership just like they attacked the tobacco industry. Nothing this administration does is based on the good of the people. It is based on Maoist power moves.

[buck61]

causing nursing home and hospice patients to be denied needed pain medication

In my area, the nursing home staff steal these drugs at an alarming rate. Maybe this is the reason and again maybe not?/could be a cost saving experiment.
Since Obama has taken the helm I do know the VA med. system has implemented many changes in drug policy. They now will only prescribe 100 diabetic test strip’s per year, this is just one among many.

[pawnshop dave]

They are doing the same thing at the V.A..Both of my sciatic nerves are severley compressed, and now they basically will only give me a souped up tylenol. They say that too many veterans are selling their pills. so we all get to suffer because of a few idiots.

[Freddd]

I guess that’s the Obama answer to the red pill or the blue pill, eh?

[I Buried My Guns]

I have lower back pain also, similar to sciatica. Had a cortisone injection into my spine which gave me a few months of relief, but the pain is inching back.

Have you considered the MJ? It helps a little when combined with a beer.

[EggsAckley]

That was precisely the concern when my poor Mom was dying from cancer. She was totally in pain, but they were afraid that Morphine may cause her to become addicted. It was so stupid and senseless. And also inhumane.

[pawnshop dave]

I used to, but the V.A. got ornery about THAT too.Yet, if they don’t do something.... well, you know!

[DPMD]

Suddenly the democrat party cares about elderly terminal patients, who have a duty to die and get out of the way?

[jimt]

They now will only prescribe 100 diabetic test strip’s per year, this is just one among many.

That's insane. A minimum should be at least two a DAY, or 730 per year, with 3 or 4 being much better and actually NEEDED.

[mysterio]

The failed drug war is a farce.