[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile opioid abuse, overdose and death are undoubtedly a growing problem in the U.S., there seems to be another side to the opioid story that remains untold. We are captivated and alarmed and even outraged by the rampant spread of addiction to narcotics, but we remain largely unmoved by the numbers of people who use these drugs safely, regularly and appropriately. In fact, we hardly ever hear a news story any more about the patients who have received a new lease on life from opioids. We don’t hear about the cancer patient who has their end of life chapter made significantly easier because of narcotics. We don’t hear about the patient with chronic pain who can actually work or take care of themselves because these drugs are available. They are the majority. They are most patients. Are they an inconvenient truth?
Don’t misunderstand. I’m as concerned as the next person to reduce the number of unnecessary deaths and the destruction of lives that occur when these medications are wrongly used. But I’m also concerned that we hear the rest of the story.
That is why I wrote this article for Pharmacy Times. Click the image below to keep reading!
Last modified: August 16, 2016
