opioids
The 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…
Read MoreWhat the Latest @NatCounterPunch Opioid Article Doesn’t Want You To Know
I was troubled to see a recent story in the online publication, Counterpunch. It starts off by declaring the root cause of the opioid crisis is Pharma’s contribution to professional societies for “educational” programs. Counterpunch reports that the funding was provided to advocate for “more aggressive identification and treatment of pain.” Ironically, the tag line…
Read MoreThe Truth About Treating Pain in Senior Citizens
Objections to Senior Citizens Receiving Opioids According to a recent report by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, opioids are commonly prescribed for senior citizens in pain. Almost 12 million Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for an opioid painkiller last year. The report goes on…
Read MoreThe CDC and the DEA Want to Be Your Ghost Doctor
What Is a Ghost Doctor? It is not uncommon for politicians, celebrities, and other ordinary people to hire a talented writer — who is called a “ghostwriter” — to compose a story or book. Ghostwriters are supposed to write in the author’s words, voice, and style, and they do not take credit for their authorship.…
Read MoreLet’s Agree to Prioritize the Needs of Patients When Treating Pain
Treating Pain — The Stats In a recent Consumer Reports article on pain, “Prince’s Death and the Addiction Risk of Opioids,” Teresa Carr writes, “In fact, as many as one out of four taking a prescribed opioid for several months or longer becomes addicted, according to the CDC.” Carr doesn’t provide a reference, so I’m…
Read MoreThis is the Reason Harvard Business Review Got Opioids Wrong
When a publication of Harvard Business Review’s caliber prints something, it stands as fact unless an authoritative voice corrects it. Therefore, I feel obligated to comment on Christopher Bowe’s recent HBR article, “Fixing Pharma’s Incentives Problem in the Wake of the U.S. Opioid Crisis.” I’m disappointed in (although hardly surprised by) the misleading content of…
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