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Human Rights Watch Report
December 18, 2018
Human Rights Watch Report
Chronic Pain, the Overdose Crisis, and Unintended Harms in the US
The 99-page report, “Not Allowed to Be Compassionate: Chronic Pain, the Overdose Crisis, and Unintended Harms in the US” documents how some of these actions have had an unintended and harmful chilling effect, making doctors fear repercussions for prescribing even to patients with severe chronic pain who have a legitimate medical need for prescription opioids.
“There is no doubt the government has to take action to counter the overdose crisis,” said Laura Mills, a health researcher at Human Rights Watch. “But it should make sure that chronic pain patients don’t end up being collateral damage.”
“There is no doubt the government has to take action to counter the overdose crisis,” said Laura Mills, a health researcher at Human Rights Watch. “But it should make sure that chronic pain patients don’t end up being collateral damage.”
The report documents the negative impact of government efforts to reduce opioid prescribing to chronic pain patients. Based on dozens of interviews with patients, medical professionals, pharmacists, public officials, and health experts, this report describes how policies intended to stem the rise in overdose deaths have also driven harmful cutbacks in opioid prescribing to people who need these medicines.
Click Below to Read the Human Rights Watch Report in its entirety
The Summary of Recommendations is located on Pages 16 & 17
Action Needed - Re: AMA RESOLUTIONS
**** Attention ALL CPP'S ****
At its interim meeting in late 2018, the AMA House of Delegates adopted a series of resolutions that recognize the mistreatment of pain patients and call for restraint in implementing the CDC guideline – particularly as it applies to the agency’s maximum recommended dose of 90mg MME (morphine milligram equivalent units).
This CAN be AMAZING & life changing news, IF it gets into the hands of those who are limiting our doctor’s ability to prescribe opioid pain medication!
AMA RESOLUTIONS:
1. RESOLVED that our AMA affirms that some patients with acute or chronic pain can benefit from taking opioids at greater dosages than recommended by the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for chronic pain and that such care may be medically necessary and appropriate.
2. RESOLVED that AMA advocate against the misapplication of the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids by pharmacists, health insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, legislatures, and governmental and private regulatory bodies in ways that prevent or limit access to opioid analgesia
3. RESOLVED that our AMA advocate that no entity should use MME (morphine milligram equivalents) thresholds as anything more than guidance, and physicians should not be subject to professional discipline, loss of board certification, loss of clinical privileges, criminal prosecution, civil liability, or other penalties or practice limitations solely for prescribing opioids at a quantitative level above the MME thresholds found in the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids.
Links To Articles:
AMA’s 2018 INTERIM MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
AMA: ‘Inappropriate Use’ of CDC Guideline Should Stop
Please DOWNLOAD THE FORM BELOW & follow the INSTRUCTIONS to get this URGENT INFORMATION to your state & federal Representatives.