More Work is Needed to Curb Painkiller Abuse!

Washington- As leading pharmaceutical companies laid out their plans last week to prevent misuse and abuse of painkillers, the Food and Drug Administration said that the proposal submitted by the industry were seen short on specifics and that more work is needed before any measures could be finalized and put in place.

According to the Associated Press, Johnson & Johnson, King and other leading pharmaceutical companies proposed using patient medication guides, letters to doctors and additional physician training to restrain inappropriate use and prescribing of painkillers.

The FDA corresponded to 16 companies sometimes February, ordering the latter to design so-called risk management plans for their drugs. The drug makers then presented their joint proposal to the agency after quite a few months of discussions.

The Pharmaceutical executives during last Friday's meeting, produced 24 opioid drugs, which include morphine, oxycodone and methadone - all of these drugs were often abused for their euphoric effect.

Despite rumors that the drug industry only acted under pressure. after hundreds of fatal overdoses each year, it is still relieving to hear that they have responded and now finding ways curb the inappropriate use of painkillers. And, if we're going to look at the bigger picture, the pharmaceutical are the makers but, the doctors are the ones prescribing. So, they are not the only ones responsible.

The doctors should have known better and carefully considered the mental and psychological conditions of their patients prior to considering any drugs for prescription. They should have been really more careful in prescribing drugs that can trigger or aggravate the conditions of their patients and can cause addictions. And, they should have closely monitored how their patients were coping with the drugs and how the drugs work on the patient,or vice versa.

With the cases of Anna Nicole Smith and Michael Jackson, we can somehow tell, somebody had fallen short on something. And, yet those cases are moving turtle-slow.

As FDA officials demand or require hearing more specifics from the drug makers, DEA should also require physicians for additional training on prescribing painkiller medications and all that can cause addiction. Likewise, the congress should come up with a better law to sanction, prosecute and penalize doctors who are being negligent and irresponsible in the whole scope of their duty; to give life, extend life, promote life and not to take life!