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Thread: Why Opioids are such an American Problem

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    Why Opioids are such an American Problem

    American doctors prescribe - a lot

    Unlike most European countries, the US does not have universal healthcare paid for by taxes.

    Instead, Americans must get their own insurance - usually via an employer or the government.

    "Most insurance, especially for poor people, won't pay for anything but a pill," says Professor Judith Feinberg from the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

    "Say you have a patient that's 45 years old. They have lower back pain, you examine them, they have a muscle spasm.

    "Really the best thing is physical therapy, but no one will pay for that. So doctors get very ready to pull out the prescription pad.

    "Even if the insurance covers physical therapy, you probably need prior authorisation (from the insurer) - which is a lot of time and paperwork."

    The CDC says opioid prescriptions have fallen by 18% from their peak in 2010. But the total is still three times higher than in 1999.

    chart_doc kickbacks.jpg

    In 2016, a study looked at the link between doctors, the free meals they received from drug companies, and the medication they prescribed.


    The study found receiving free meals was "associated with an increased rate of prescribing the promoted brand-name medication".


    Pharmaceutical companies say their reps are merely sharing information with doctors. But Professor Humphreys says there is a "corrupting" influence.


    "We need a pharma industry, it's not that it's wrong," he says. "But you can't let the fox guard the hen house.

    "I would create completely clear blue water between the people that manufacture drugs and all the training and operation of the healthcare system."

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41701718


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    The opioid problem is really just a repeat of the valium problem of, what, the 60s. Pharmas did the same thing, doctors prescribed them, and a whole lot of women got addicted. Years ago a pharma marketing exec turned informant and did a video on how that was repeated with Xanax. It's really insideous.

    The insurance part in it in the OP is interesting. They're part of the problem.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris View Post
    The opioid problem is really just a repeat of the valium problem of, what, the 60s. Pharmas did the same thing, doctors prescribed them, and a whole lot of women got addicted. Years ago a pharma marketing exec turned informant and did a video on how that was repeated with Xanax. It's really insideous.

    The insurance part in it in the OP is interesting. They're part of the problem.
    Exactly. It's incredibly depressing when we take a step back and see how so many organizations are working together to profit off of the suffering of people.

    Damn - now, I'm completely depressed! (

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    I read an article that indicated that it all started when Congress approved reimbursing pain medication as a treatment through Medicare. BOOM.
    Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect. -- Woody Hayes​

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    Quote Originally Posted by DGUtley View Post
    I read an article that indicated that it all started when Congress approved reimbursing pain medication as a treatment through Medicare. BOOM.
    Medicare didnt have a prescription plan until 2006 I believe. Pain medication was dispensed through private insurers prior to that.

    Im sure medicare covering it exascerbated the problem, older people have more pain. However I disagree thats the cause off the opiod epidemic. Its younger people that use the medication to get high.
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    There was a much bigger opioid epidemic in the late 60s and 70s. Overdoses were incredibly high and there were prescription pain medications abused and prescriptions written for them by unethical drs. Numaphane called blue devils was the premier prescription pain medicine on an oxycontin level. Drug users used to crush them and cook and inject it. They finally had to stop its manufacture and ban it completely. Heroin addiction was a HUGE crisis throught out the country.

    In the 80s the crack epidemic made this opioid epidemic look tame.
    This is not the first time this has occurred and it will happen again.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Common View Post
    Medicare didnt have a prescription plan until 2006 I believe. Pain medication was dispensed through private insurers prior to that. Im sure medicare covering it exascerbated the problem, older people have more pain. However I disagree thats the cause off the opiod epidemic. Its younger people that use the medication to get high.
    That's what I've seen as the bulk of the problem. I've been asked to consider getting involved in the litigation that is coming. I'm seeing regular everyday people that have a serious injury that get immediately hooked and then end up dead. I'm not seeing the recreational "to get high" situation. I'm sure it's there, but not what I'm seeing.
    Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect. -- Woody Hayes​

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    Quote Originally Posted by Common View Post
    There was a much bigger opioid epidemic in the late 60s and 70s. Overdoses were incredibly high and there were prescription pain medications abused and prescriptions written for them by unethical drs. Numaphane called blue devils was the premier prescription pain medicine on an oxycontin level. Drug users used to crush them and cook and inject it. They finally had to stop its manufacture and ban it completely. Heroin addiction was a HUGE crisis throught out the country.

    In the 80s the crack epidemic made this opioid epidemic look tame.
    This is not the first time this has occurred and it will happen again.
    To be honest I don't know too much about the drug issues that happened in the time. Do you remember whether there were the amount of deaths back then that we're experiencing with this epidemic?

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    Quote Originally Posted by DGUtley View Post
    That's what I've seen as the bulk of the problem. I've been asked to consider getting involved in the litigation that is coming. I'm seeing regular everyday people that have a serious injury that get immediately hooked and then end up dead. I'm not seeing the recreational "to get high" situation. I'm sure it's there, but not what I'm seeing.
    I can speak from first hand experience. My son got hooked from prescription drugs that were being passed around and sold in high school. He's had at least 5 of his friends overdose and die from opioids. I've had him in 3 rehab facilities. The last time he was in rehab he called me 3 weeks in and told me he wanted me to come get him. Initially I kept putting him off but the facility would call me while he was in the room and tell me he was requesting to leave. It happened so many times that I just gave up and went and got him. I felt harassed and pissed that the facility wouldn't give me a heads up so I knew what I should do when they called me with him in the room. I haven't spoken or seen him since. He was clean when I picked him up and dropped him off at his car.

    My heart breaks everyday and I miss him so much but I know that there's nothing I can do until he's ready.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Trish View Post
    I can speak from first hand experience. My son got hooked from prescription drugs that were being passed around and sold in high school. He's had at least 5 of his friends overdose and die from opioids. I've had him in 3 rehab facilities. The last time he was in rehab he called me 3 weeks in and told me he wanted me to come get him. Initially I kept putting him off but the facility would call me while he was in the room and tell me he was requesting to leave. It happened so many times that I just gave up and went and got him. I felt harassed and pissed that the facility wouldn't give me a heads up so I knew what I should do when they called me with him in the room. I haven't spoken or seen him since. He was clean when I picked him up and dropped him off at his car.

    My heart breaks everyday and I miss him so much but I know that there's nothing I can do until he's ready.
    I'm so sorry to hear that. That must be very difficult. It's heartbreaking to watch your loved ones make choices that are self destructive.

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