Government
AMA to voice concerns to DEA over pain medication prescribing policy
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 27, 2004
The American Medical Association will work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to address physician concerns that an interim policy statement published by the agency in November could interfere with the way doctors prescribe opioid analgesic medications to some patients.
Doctors worry that the statement could make it illegal to write multiple pain medication prescriptions for a patient on the day of a visit and evaluation. Physicians also worry that they no longer could legally write directions for dispensing additional medication on future, specified dates.
At the AMA's Interim Meeting in Atlanta this month, delegates called on the Association to support interpreting federal law in a way that would let doctors continue to write pain medication prescriptions for patients in need, while letting the government provide oversight and regulation to minimize risks to patients' health and safety.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/12/27/gvbf1227.htm.