DEA Establishes Production Limits for Painkillers, With Some Drugs Set for Big Increases

http://www.raps.org/Regulatory-Focus/News/2014/09/05/20229/DEA-Establishes-Production-Limits-for-Painkillers-With-Some-Drugs-Set-for-Big-Increases/

From the article:

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CARRY THE FALLEN – A NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO REDUCE VETERAN SUICIDE from Active Heroes on Vimeo.

TEN TIMES more veterans commit suicide EACH DAY than the number that have been killed in COMBAT each day… in the last TEN YEARS !

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Pharmacist Pleads Not Guilty in Boston Meningitis Case

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-11/pharmacist-pleads-not-guilty-in-boston-meningitis-case.html

From the article:

Glenn Chin, who was a supervisor at the now-bankrupt New England Compounding Center, entered his plea today in Boston federal court. He was the first person arrested in connection with the epidemic, which infected 751 people and killed 64.

The batch that Chin signed off on resulted in 217 infections and 15 deaths, authorities said. He’s named in several lawsuits filed against New England Compounding in Boston federal court.

Chin, a supervisor at Framingham, Massachusetts-based New England Compounding, was involved in putting together a batch of contaminated medicine that was later injected into hundreds of patients of one of its customers, Michigan Pain Specialists PLLC, the U.S. said.

Imagine that… a Pharmacist that signs off on batch of compounded sterile Methylprednisolone that killed 15 pts and gave another 217 fungal meningitis being charged .

Another work environment that a Pharmacist caved into the pressure of management to do it faster and faster … ,take short cuts and look the other way against their better judgement ?

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Jennifer Aniston takes spotlight in ‘Cake’

http://www.samaa.tv/entertainment/11-Sep-2014/jennifer-aniston-takes-spotlight-in-cake

From the article:

TORONTO: The sheer physicality of playing a character in chronic pain was the most challenging part of starring in the film “Cake,” Jennifer Aniston said of a leading role that turns one of the world’s most glamorous actresses into a bitter, unpleasant woman.

In the film , which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday, Aniston plays Claire Simmons, a woman suffering from constant pain and pill addiction who is haunted by hallucinations of a fellow support-group member who committed suicide.

To prepare for the role, the former “Friends” star  drew on the experiences of two friends who lived with chronic pain. She also wore a brace that prevented her from slouching to mimic the stiff movement required.

“For me, it was really important to stay true to what the medicine I was taking physically would be doing to my body and at what point,” Aniston said.

“It turns out if you walk like that for five weeks, you do actually become in pain.”

Chronic pain and addiction are NOT MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE …

Has Hollywood joined the rest of the media in putting forth the idea – as a fact – that opiates and addiction are inseparable ?

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Yesterday I got this 12 oz packet from my Part D provider… including three different paper booklets about various things and changes for 2015. In previous years, I have just filed these as “I’ll read that later” and never touch it again… This year I started paging thru it.. The image is of one page , I found very interesting..

You can click on the image to enlarge to make it more readable…  It is about a person’s rights having a Part D Program. I suspect that this is boilerplate required by Medicare. So no matter which Part D provider – or Medicare Advantage provider – that you are enrolled in.. they are all required to meet the same standards.

Pay attention to Section 1.3 WE MUST ENSURE THAT YOU GET TIMELY ACCESS TO YOUR COVERED DRUGS

It goes on to say that “As a member of our plan, you have the right to get your prescriptions filled or refilled at any of our network pharmacies without long delays.”

Further back in the book it explains how a covered person can file a complaint or as they call it “filing a grievance”

Apparently there is also a QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION where you can file a grievance for any services provided by any Medicare provider ( doctor, pharmacy/pharmacist/hospital, etc,etc )

There is also a on line complaint form to file a complaint directly with Medicare/CMS https://www.medicare.gov/MedicareComplaintForm/home.aspx

People who are covered by Medicaid and other health insurance may/might have the same/similar protections.

The DEA is using THE LAW that may be interfering with your appropriate/necessary care…  There is a SIMILAR LAW… that should help protect you from being denied….BUT.. only those that are directly being adversely affected can do something about it.

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Lawmakers slam DEA for targeting Mass. doctors

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/06/11/congressmen-fault-dea-for-intimidating-massachusetts-doctors/MOQlJBKtCeKFI6nK6RQJ6O/story.html

from the article:

The US Drug Enforcement Administration’s push to get Massachusetts doctors out of the medical marijuana business drew the ire of members of Congress Wednesday, with one California lawmaker accusing the agency of creating an “atmosphere of fear” among physicians.

US Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, was commenting on the agency’s ultimatum to Massachusetts physicians to sever all ties to marijuana companies or relinquish their federal licenses to prescribe certain medications. He called the action short-sighted during a conference call with national news organizations.

“What they are doing, obviously, is not only suppressing doctors, but wasting resources,” said Rohrabacher, who sponsored a measure approved by the House last month to restrict the DEA from using its funding to impede state medical marijuana laws. “If they want to fight crime, let’s use those resources to hire police to come and do more patrols in neighborhoods where there is high crime.”

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Veteran’s suicide draws attention to Veterans Affairs’ use of painkillers

http://www.roanoke.com/news/virginia/veteran-s-suicide-draws-attention-to-veterans-affairs-use-of/article_a07a3527-0f33-5cca-9cb5-a5d198b8f193.html

From the article:

BLAND — Nearly everything that Kevin Keller did in his final years bore the mark of constant pain, even the note he left in the end.

His right arm rendered useless by a crippling stroke, Keller used an unsteady left hand to scrawl a brief letter to his best friend.

“MARTY,” it read. “SORRY I BROKE INTO YOUR HOUSE AND TOOK YOUR GUN TO END THE PAIN! FU VA!!! CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE”

By the time Marty Austin found the note in his Bland home late on the night of July 25, Keller had already driven to a Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in nearby Wytheville, where the U.S. Navy veteran was a patient. Keller parked his red pickup truck at a pharmacy next door, walked to the front of the closed medical office, pounded on the locked doors in a final act of frustration and then used Austin’s 9 mm handgun to shoot himself in the head.

VA officials declined to talk about Keller’s case, but Austin and two other friends of the 52-year-old said he had spoken to them many times about the suffering he endured after doctors and nurses at the VA clinic in Wytheville began to wean him off painkillers.

“The medications were the only thing that was helping him, and when they took that away from him, his life just went downhill,” Austin said.

This is just one very sad story that got into the media… why don’t we hear about all the others ?

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Fort Myers couple dies in apparent murder-suicide at RV resort

http://www.news-press.com/story/news/crime/2014/09/08/death-investigation-at-groves-rv-park-in-fort-myers/15280035/

From the article:

A husband and wife were found dead at their trailer Monday at the Groves RV Resort on John Morris Road, apparently the victims of a murder-suicide.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to unit #100 in the resort at 16175 John Morris Road at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

The sheriff’s office report said the response was in reference to a male caller advising the LCSO that he and his wife “could no longer stand the pain and that they were leaving.”

After attempts to contact the caller via phone and at the residence were unsuccessful, a deputy entered the trailer.

The deputy found Ronald Glenn Cooper, 71, and Laraine Jean Cooper, 72, both dead on a bedroom floor from gunshot wounds to the head.

A black, semi-automatic 9mm pistol was found on Ronald Cooper’s chest.

The Lee County Medical Examiner took possession of the bodies.

Gov Scott and AG Bondi brag about all the “oxy docs” they have chased out of Florida… they never mention that use/abuse/deaths from Heroin is skyrocketing in the state.. How many other suicide deaths in this state are happening and never make the HEADLINES because they commit suicide using their meds instead of some methodology more dramatic.

I would not be surprised if they don’t end up charging Mr Cooper with MURDER and find some reasoning to blame it on “drug use/abuse”.

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New Mexico Man Given Forced Colonoscopy by Cops Wins $1.6 Million Settlement

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/01/14/new-mexico-man-given-forced-colonoscopy-by-cops-wins-16-million-settlement

From the article:

Eckert’s lawsuit alleged his Fourth Amendment rights were violated after Deming police pulled him over on Jan. 2, 2013, for allegedly rolling through a stop sign. Hidalgo County authorities arrived on the scene and played a role in justifying a lengthy series of medical procedures.

No drugs were found by police in Eckert’s vehicle or within his body by doctors at the Gila Regional Medical Center, who administered two digital anal probes and an X-ray scan, then inserted into Eckert’s anus three enemas and analyzed the resulting stool samples, then performed another X-ray and – ultimately – conducted a colonoscopy with anesthesia.

Had Enough Drug War Yet? Man Suing Baltimore Police for Sodomizing Him on a Public Sidewalk

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/drug-war-yet-man-suing-baltimore-police-sodomizing-public-sidewalk/#cSWiilhAZH7g4UsD.99

From the article:

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