Posts by Lynn Webster, M.D.
Why You Need to Know About the New Prescription Drug Monitoring Act
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar co-introduced the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) which was signed into law by President Obama last month. Now she’s co-introduced the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act which would mandate that doctors use prescription drug monitoring programs when prescribing painkillers to a patient for the first time. What are Prescription Monitoring Programs…
Read MoreThe Other Side of the Pain Story by guest Richard L. Martin
The Other Side of the Pain Story By Richard L. Martin, BSPharm (retired) I was a hospital pharmacist for twenty-five years. The last four years in practice, I was involved with the cancer ward helping oncologists, recommending pain medications, adjusting pain medications, and safely switching patients from one medication to another. Even though it’s been…
Read MoreNPR – Patients Seek Out Alternatives to Opioids in Treatment of Chronic Pain
Opioids are often considered mandatory for treatment of chronic pain, but many patients would prefer an alternative. Doctors say those alternatives may also work better in some cases. Link to NPR All Things Considered
Read MorePreparing for an FDA Advisory Committee Meeting: What You Need to Know
Mark Twain is quoted as saying: “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” What Is an FDA ADCOM? Pharma and device companies seeking approval for their products are often required to present their data to an FDA advisory committee meeting (ADCOM). They have a limited time in which to tell…
Read MoreThe Reasons for The Criminalization and Stigmatization of Addiction
Inconsistent and Specious Laws Criminalizing Addiction In my blog, “Is Suboxone the New Kleenex®?,” I attempted to clarify which opioids are used to treat addiction as well as pain, depending on their brand name or where they are being prescribed. A recent article in MEDPAGE TODAY titled “Suboxone Underused, Opioids Overused in Medicine” added some…
Read MoreThe Painful Truth is a Finalist in 2016 CIPA EVVY Awards
CIPA EVYY Award Finalist I’m pleased and humbled to announce that my book, The Painful Truth: What Chronic Pain Is Really Like and Why It Matters to Each of Us, has been selected as a finalist in the 2016 CIPA EVVY Awards. It holds that spot in the Health/Diet/Fitness category. The Painful Truth is…
Read MoreIs Suboxone the New Kleenex®?
Confusion About Suboxone There is an interesting recent article in MEDPAGE TODAY titled “Suboxone Underused, Opioids Overused in Medicine.” To me, that is an oxymoron. As I’ll explain, the title does make sense if you’re trying to communicate to the lay public, but it is an ambiguous and seemingly contradictory statement. Since there’s already way…
Read MoreMost Opioid Addictions Start In Teen Years: What you Need to Know
Ninety Percent of All Drug Addictions Start in the Teens “Ninety percent of all drug addictions start in the teens — and 75 percent of prescription opioid misuse begins when (mainly young) people get pills from friends, family or dealers — not doctors. Opioids are rarely the first drug people misuse.” This is an incredibly…
Read MoreThis is the Reason Heroin Addiction Requires Critical Analysis
President Obama stands ready to sign the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). This bill will make available more treatments for opioid addiction and is intended to deter inappropriate prescribing of prescription opioids. As a recent Washington Post article points out, critics of CARA fear that this legislation could “cause prescription opioid users to switch…
Read MoreThe Reason CARA (Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act) is Not All That Comprehensive
What Is CARA (The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016)? By now, you may have heard of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2016. Designed to establish “a comprehensive, coordinated, balanced strategy through enhanced grant programs that would expand prevention and education efforts while also promoting treatment and recovery,” the bill…
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