To prescribe opiates to treat chronic pain is really old school medicine

DEA investigates three central Indiana pain clinics

DEA investigates three central Indiana pain clinics

If I was a news reporter… I would always seek out an addiction counselor ( with no medical background)  for medical advice on treating chronic pain.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind (Feb. 26, 2016)–Three central Indiana pain clinics were searched by federal and local agencies Friday morning.

Sources tell FOX59 the Pain Management Centers of Indiana are being investigated for the alleged overprescribing of pain medications possibly linked to overdose deaths.

The investigation is spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration along with local agencies in Marion, Miami and Monroe counties. The prosecutors from all three counties are  assisting  along with The Indiana Attorney General.

Records and files were removed in evidence boxes from the clinics. They operate in locations in Peru, In, Bloomington, In and the south side of Indianapolis.

The main physician’s home was also searched in addition to the three practices.

According to the Miami County Prosecutor’s office, the investigation was sparked in part by individual complaints.

“It is the duty of DEA, the Attorney General and the prosecuting attorneys to investigate such complaints. Whether or not they are substantiated by the evidence being gathered and reviewed may not be determined for several weeks,” said Bruce Embry, prosecuting attorney for Miami County.

Addiction counselor Scott Watson says these investigations are key in holding physicians accountable.

“To prescribe opiates to treat chronic pain is really old school medicine. There are better ways to treat chronic pain than to simply push more medicine at those patients​,” said Watson.

FOX59 is withholding the doctor’s name because criminal charges have yet to be filed.

3 Responses

  1. Apparently Mr Watson must have a pharmacy degree too because he seems to know so much more about medications than I as a pharmacist

    “It is the duty of DEA, the Attorney General and the prosecuting attorneys to investigate such complaints. Whether or not they are substantiated by the evidence being gathered and reviewed may not be determined for several weeks,” said Bruce Embry, prosecuting attorney for Miami County…..READ: UNTIL we prove you innocent, your reputation and life is toast socially, professionally and financially and even then it is still toast afterwards because you will NEVER recover from this. They have also destroyed your legitimate chronic pain patients and they are now pain refugees because no doctor will take them on within 100 miles and see them as legitimate.

    I know we don’t have all the details, but more than likely, another matter of someone mixing their legal meds with illegal meds and/or alcohol or undertreated pain that became a suicide or a family member didn’t understand chronic pain and believed all the opioidphobic garbage being spewed and filed a complaint, yada yada yada………SMDH

  2. I am a chronic pain patient. Have been for nearly 30 years. I have had nearly every type of pain relief modality from epidural steroid injections, more physical therapy than I can count, and many different medications, off-label, mostly. OTC pain relievers such as Tylenol, Motrin and every NSAID there is along with Antidepressants, old school and SSRIs and SNRIs, as well as anticonvulsants. None of these forms of supposed “pain relief” helped much, if at all. The pharmaceuticals all come with a long list of adverse effects, including the OTC variety. None are as safe as opioids for pain.

    Then, low and behold, I found out this, “To prescribe opiates to treat chronic pain is really old school medicine. There are better ways to treat chronic pain than to simply push more medicine at those patients,” said Watson. That’s right! My numerous specialists have missed something an addiction counselor, Scott Watson, knows about! Hallelujah! My life of one appointment after another is about to come to an end!

    This is the best news I’ve had since the late ’80s! Since it’s pleural, there are options too. How can me and 100 million pain patients reach you, Mr. Watson? Please let me know right away, I have three appointments next month!

    Kim Miller
    US Pain Foundation Ambassador Advocate
    FFFPCAN

  3. Exactly what ARE those ways to treat pain, Mr Watson?

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