Alex Azar: Trump opioid plan includes retraining physicians on pain-management options
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/19/alex-azar-trump-opioid-plan-includes-retraining-ph/
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Monday that President Trump is committed to reducing the number of prescribed opioids and retraining physicians on how to handle pain management.
“He is saying that within three years, we will reduce the prescribing of legal opioids by one-third,” Mr. Azar said on Fox News.
White House officials unveiled their plan Monday on how they intend to combat the nationwide epidemic. Mr. Trump even went so far as to suggest the death penalty for drug dealers a few weeks ago and directed the Justice Department on Monday to make this a possibility under sentencing laws.
Mr. Azar said that there needs to be “serious penalties” and “serious enforcement” for those distributing these drugs, but he did not confirm anything about the death penalty specifically.
He did say part of the plan includes retraining doctors on how to handle pain management in their patients, and to also address the issue of overprescribing both opioids and antibiotics.
“We’re doing research and development in alternative additional pain management tactics,” Mr. Azar said.
Filed under: General Problems
They left out who would pay for the retraining. It will have to be the individual doctors. Trump and the Republicans do not seem willing to spend money on chronic pain patients. I seriously doubt they will force private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid to cover alternative therapies.
I do not believe the number of patients that suffer from severe chronic pain 24/7 is as high as many say it is. The majority of those impacted will be those that say they suffer from chronic pain. Not doing certain activities and pacing what they do will eliminate the need for opiates.
Hope on:
You “don’t believe” there are as many pain patients as stated??? What do you believe?? YoU obviously aren’t in pain every day? So you think if I don’t work or just pace myself I won’t need my pain meds????
You’re right, if I dont haven’t meds, I won’t be working at all!!! I probably won’t even be living at that point.
Why are you so worried about who is paying for the retraining of Drs if you obviously aren’t even affected by any of this?
How about Trump and the rest of govt officials stay the F*CK out of my dr office completely??? When Trump,Sessions, Christie n the rest show me their medical license to practice in my stste, we can have another conversation regarding just how ridiculous all of this is!!
Agreed!!
I am a chronic pain patient. I have been for many, many years. Back before there were Pain Management Doctors
If doctors have to pay for the training. They will pass the cost on to their patients. Which is understandable. Or they might decide it is not worth the cost and time. Of course, a lot depends on the cost of the classes and how they are organized.
If there were as many chronic pain patients as some say. If they have had their medications reduced to the point they cannot perform activities of daily living. They would be flooding federal and state legislators offices with calls, emails and personal letters. The numbers would be too many to ignore. As it is now, politicians either ignore chronic pain patients complaining about opioid restrictions. Or they send standard form letters. Some offices send information on treatment for drug addiction. Of course the politicians do not read these emails or letters. Or hear about the phone calls. Office staff handle these things.
There would also be large numbers of doctors contacting their legislators. Large numbers of doctors contacting legislators would be listened to. Doctors have more creditability about this topic than patients do There is just no evidence the majority of chronic pain patients that need opiates for ADL are not being treated adequately.
Agreed,,,,and a couple of others in it solely for the money,,mary
LOL, I agree Mary and I know who you mean. Thanks needed the laugh.