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Petition for a Redress of Pain
The Drug Enforcement Administration's investigation of Billings, Montana, neurologist Richard A. Nelson has forced him to stop prescribing narcotics, leaving his patients without medication to relieve their pain. Last week some of them tried to draw attention to their plight with a rally outside the local office of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) "I promise to take each concern to Max," the senator's communications director said, adding that there's really nothing Baucus can do, since he has "a strict policy not to interfere with criminal investigations or legal policies," as the Billings Gazette put it.
Pain Relief Network President Siobhan Reynolds, who was in Billings last week for the rally, is trying to alert Montana officials to the threat that the DEA's de facto regulation of medical practice poses to state prerogatives and patient welfare. She'd also like to see Congress, which theoretically oversees the DEA, take an interest in the agency's interference with pain treatment. "We want the senators to realize these are people just like them," she told the Gazette. "This could happen to anybody."
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|6.21.05 @ 9:42AM|#
Now we'll start seeing doctors telling patients to get really drunk to kill the pain. Hey, the upshot is that you can do that without a prescription.
|6.21.05 @ 10:00AM|#
The Senators don't care. They'll talk about how we have to step up efforts in the drug war, have a big laugh about these people in pain, and then go back to meeting with lobbyists.
|6.21.05 @ 10:07AM|#
Congress, giving a flying fuck about the evil effects of their horseshit puritan legislation?
HahaHAA! Good one, Siobhan!
|6.21.05 @ 10:29AM|#
The Senator has a policy AGAINST helping his constituents with government problems? Are you kidding? How does this joker get elected?
No wonder the Republicans are cleaning up in elections. Jesse Helms was legendary for helping his voters overcome government obstacles.
gaius marius|6.21.05 @ 1:39PM|#
lol -- pinning this on congress, folks, is a bit absurd. the dea is the province of karen tandy, appointee of one george w. bush.
that said, it should be noted that dea hasn't actually done anything against nelson. investigating possible diversions of schedule 2 drugs isn't a waste of their time if you accept the premises of a lawful prescription-access system. (which many here don't, i'm sure, but that's a different argument.) nelson, for his part, hasn't been accused by anyone of anything.
so what is there to be outraged about? that a montana doctor feels intimidated by law enforcement?
|6.21.05 @ 2:22PM|#
"The DEA temporarily revoked his privilege to write prescriptions for those drugs..."
How is that not doing anything to him? They are interfering with his ability to practice medicine and treat his patients.