Doctors raked in cash to push fentanyl as N.J. death rate exploded

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Mon Jul 3, 2017, 10:01 AM - Edit history (1)

Retweeted by David Fahrenthold: https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold

This is a good look at how companies woo doctors to prescribe fentanyl:

Link to tweet

Doctors raked in cash to push fentanyl as N.J. death rate exploded

Updated on June 29, 2017 at 10:39 PM Posted on June 29, 2017 at 7:00 AM

BY STEPHEN STIRLING AND ERIN PETENKO
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The most powerful opioid ever mass-marketed was designed to ease cancer patients into death. ... It's ideal for that: the drug is fast acting, powerful enough to tame pain that other opioids can't and comes in a variety of easy delivery methods -- from patches to lollipops. ... But a dose the size of a grain of sand can kill you.

Meet fentanyl. It's heroin on steroids. It's killing people in droves. And, in New Jersey, you can get it after having your tonsils removed.

In fact, doctors who treat children's colds and adult's sore knees are prescribing it with alarming frequency, far more than oncologists easing end-of-life cancer pain. ... The surge is stoked by companies that shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to doctors, wining and dining them in hopes of convincing them that their particular brand of fentanyl is the solution to all their patients' pain problems.

Evidently, it's working.
....

Stephen Stirling may be reached at [e-mail]. Follow him on Twitter @sstirling. Find him on Facebook.

Erin Petenko may be reached at [e-mail]. Follow her on Twitter @EPetenko. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

[mucifer]

1. Sometimes fentanyl is the best choice for pediatric hospice patients with

end stage cancer. The great thing is that pediatric cancer survival rates have really gone up. The docs are getting better at the treatment regimens.

Regarding pain management kids sometimes refuse to swallow pills or liquids and needles are scary. They have to be on a moderate amount of oral narcotics before starting the lowest dose of fentanyl patch. We don't use fentanyl as much as we used to. We often go to subcutaneous (very tiny needle that go in the skin and not a vein) infusions. But, still for some cases fentanyl patches are the best choice. We often have children on VERY high doses of narcotics to control pain. The dosing for oral narcotics can be as high or higher than the fentanyl dose.

If the doctors are trained in pain management they can use fentanyl effectively.

All of that said, I can understand why they would take fentanyl off the market. We would lose a tool in our tool box. But, it might need to happen to save more lives.

[elias7]

2. We have used fentanyl in the ER for decades

Rapid on, rapid off, primarily used IV/IM for extremely painful conditions, e.g. Long bone fractures, or for adjunct in heavy sedation. Only other form I'm aware of is the 72 hour patch for oncology or chronic pain patients, but I have prescribed that maybe once in the last ten years.

Don't know that there is an oral form.

Kind of confused by the report...I never raked in anything.

[mucifer]

4. I was talking about oral oxycodone, dilaudid and methadone.

We did use fentanyl once orally for an infant with epidermolysis bullosa but it was the IV form we gave orally. Can't use patches with EB.

[elias7]

6. Right. I was just sharing our experience in the ED

I have since looked more into the link, and it seems like the largest perceived problem is in primary care and general pain management. With the oral stuff, limited Rx for obviously painful conditions with objective findings is our rule of thumb, though some docs are getting pretty hard ass and not prescribing narcotics at all.

[Archae]

3. This is alarmist bullshit.

Just more bullshit about the "opioid epidemic," with alarmist headlines, wild innuendos, and flat-out lies.

Yes. There are those who abuse narcotic painkillers.
There are those who abuse alcohol. Caffeine. Tobacco.

This is just more shit from the hysterics pushing their "War On Drugs" to get more federal and state $$$, (remember the guy in Tula, Texas, who lied about so many blacks and got so much federal money?) and continue the hysterics began by the filthy racist Harry "Dem coloreds iz smokin' plants that get dem high!" Anslinger.

[Skittles]

5. more woo?