FDA REGULATION CHGS/ASA RECLASSIFICATION

I thought I would share what I have learned since I haven't seen anything here about it.
1)the FDA is reclassifying hydrocodone to a class 2 drug. They are also restricting all pain meds like vicodin, percocet, lortabs, oxy, etc to so many pills a month(hydrocodone -40); 3month supply with a Dr visit required each month and after 3 months no more for 1 or 2 YEARS. Only if you are under hospice care can you get pain meds for longer. No other non-cancer condition.

2) the ASA American psychiatric assoc is reclassifying chronic pain disorders ie. Fibro to be mental illnesses. They say if you THINK you will have pain then you will therefore it is all in your/ our heads. they recommend treatment to be antidepressants, antianxiety meds, and psychiatric counseling and of course the mentally ill lable that goes with it. Many Dr use the DSM (manual the ASA puts out re mental ILLNESSES) WHEN DIAGNOSING Patients. So this could effect patients already treated and any wondering what's wrong with them.

A patient who has sought help from many Dr to find a diagnosis that includes treatment with pain meds are mentally ill. This is their professional OPINION!


Re #1)the Fda voted last week 19 to 10 to make the change. It is under review with final vote the 8th. Not much time to make our voices heard.

www.benchmarkemail.com/c/v?e=26E4C7&c=2508E&l=1C6115E&email=TkHZutYd2vRKktG7%2BPBAgSLCsP7x3jH7TI8GHOplciAElwBPzESuqA%3D%3D&relid=48332CA0

http://updates.pain-topics.org/2012/06/how-war-on-rx-drugs-victimizes-pain.html?m=1

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/protect-those-chronic-intractable-pain-dea-and-its-war-drugs/rqbB2zMq

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/prevent-labeling-physical-illnesses-mental-illnesses-based-revised-criteria-dsm-5-may-2013/vDSKX9XT

Forgive my typos. I'm on my kindle and I am fighting the autocorrect.

Post Edited (AuburnPoet) : 2/2/2013 9:48:51 PM (GMT-7)

I'm sorry the links don't work.must be because I am on a kindle.
ETA:I corrected the first link I listed above and they all work if I cut and past


This is from first link:
"TWO ISSUES ARE OF GREAT CONCERN!

#1 Last week, an FDA panel recommended changes for much stricter hydrocodone product* prescribing by changing them from Schedule III to Schedule II classification of drugs. No Physician's Assistants nor Nurse Practitioners would be licensed to prescribe these medications, making it difficult for people in chronic pain (especially in rural areas) to receive and fill pain prescriptions. The change would stop doctors from writing prescriptions for more than one month's supply at a time or calling in new prescriptions without seeing their patients.

#2 The group Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP) sent a letter (in July 2012) to the FDA requesting they set regulations and caps on opioid analgesics for chronic non-cancer pain. (Those include all oxycodone medications AND hydrocodone medications if they are changed to Schedule II.) Click here for full letter.

The NFMCPA understands reasonable and necessary safety measures, but we believe the recommendations for severely restricting opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone):

to a maximum daily dose--equivalent to 100 milligrams for non-cancer pain; and a maximum duration of 90-days for continuous daily use

are extreme measures. It concerns us that the patient, the person living with unrelenting pain, will suffer severe consequences from such drastic restrictions. No alternative treatments are being offered.

Last week NPR (formerly National Public Radio) ran a story about inevitable conflicts between the pros and cons of opioid prescribing - read article. The NFMCPA supports those physicians who want to give the best care possible to people with pain, and they voiced their opinion and concerns."

Portion of page from natioñal fibromyalgia and chronic pain assoc.
Also can visit FIBRO FRIENDS on facebook and find a slew of links regarding these issues!


Portion re ASA:" Prevent the labeling of physical illnesses as mental illnesses based on revised criteria of the DSM-5 in May 2013.

Prevent the labeling of physical illnesses as "mental illnesses" based on revised criteria set forth in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, set to be released in May 2013.

Mislabeling physical illnesses as mental illnesses will prevent patients from receiving proper diagnostic tests and treatments, and will affect insurance coverage of treatment and medication. It will also result in career ending actions for hundreds of thousands of individuals employed in healthcare, law enforcement, military, etc., who are ineligible for employment in operational settings if diagnosed with mental illness. These career losses will negatively impact the economy and present additional strain on government resources as the individuals will be forced to seek government assistance."

Post Edited (AuburnPoet) : 2/2/2013 9:54:12 PM (GMT-7)

Scare tactic? I'm afraid, and so are the following entities/people:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allen-frances/mislabeling-medical-illne_b_2265198.html

http://www.cfids.org/advocacy/2010/dsm5-statement.pdf

http://www.masscfids.org/resource-library/14/382

I've focused on the controversial language/criteria of the DSM-V because that is what affects me most right now. But I am concerned about both the treatment of chronic pain and the diagnostic criteria for Somatic Symptoms Disorders. I'm afraid they are both slippery slopes and will not only potentially cause us to lose any ground we have gained in the diagnosis/treatment of fibro but may cause us to slide into the dark ages of debating whether or not it is a "real" disorder that deserves "real" treatment and not just a pat on the head and dismissal.

For that matter, many chronic illnesses can subjectively be placed into that category: IBS, peripheral nerve pain, migraines, etc. No laboratory test to prove it must mean it doesn't really exist. I already don't always tell new doctors (when seeing them about something non-fibro) about my fibro diagnosis because I'm afraid I won't be taken seriously. This new language in the DSM-V cannot be a good thing for the chronically ill.

Thanks, Auburnpoet for bringing this to our attention. I received an advocacy alert email yesterday from the National Fibromyalgia Association, and had just begun to do some research.

Edited to add: I found the first article by Allen Frances, Professor Emeritus, Duke University to be particularly interesting and easy to follow.

Post Edited (AustenFan) : 2/3/2013 2:55:07 PM (GMT-7)

I guess PowerdbyLove, if it is a scare tactic than it was used on me.  And I have to say other people who would be in the position to know if it was "true" or not.  As there have been other articles written about the opoid restriction by the FDA and the damage it will do; and that it will do NOTHING for the addiction problem.

 

I have no dog in this fight as I am allergic to everything on the market. The only thing I can currently take is tramadol and it is only for headaches and currently my state is regulating it tightly as well but a month supply lasts a year.  So I was only passing along the information so others would be informed and not blind-sided.

 

Some would rather be blind-sided.

 

Unfortunately the APA has refused to change theirs stand on the chronic pain as a mental disorder.  it will be as such in the DSM that will be issued in May.

 

I hope the best for everyone concerned.

just trying to help.

 

 

Insanity knows no bounds.... but sure is a close buddy of Govt.

This is the question people SHOULD be asking -

Where - exactly - in the US Constitution is the US Federal Govt. granted the authority to tell citizens what they can and cannot put inside their own bodies?

The only upside to stuff like this is that it might.... maybe... open the eyes of more people to the reality that we do not live in a free country and the US Constitution is not worth the paper it is printed on.


Terry

If you are seeing a pain specialist will it still be difficult? These are usually doctors that are on the board of anesthesia and are expected to prescribe such medicines.