Dr. Henry Paul, MD

Psychiatrist, Author and Educator

BLACK BOX WARNING ON PAINKILLERS

March 25th, 2016

“They’re the most powerful painkillers ever invented, and their creating the worst addiction crisis America has ever seen.” TIME Magazine Cover June 2015

6422127_sThe US Food and Drug Administration this week announced that painkillers, such as OxyContin and Fentanyl, will now have to carry a “black box” warning stating the dangers of abuse, addiction, overdose and death.

It is called a black box warning because that is how it appears – in a black box. According to the FDA website, “it appears on a prescription drug’s label and is designed to call attention to serious or life-threatening risks.”

The FDA hopes that this warning will help to slow a growing epidemic in this country of opioid addiction that is leading to heroin addiction, overdose and death. In 2015, TIME magazine reported in their cover story that “9.4 million Americans take opioids for long-term pain and 2.1 million are estimated by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) to be hooked.”

The article went on to say that the crisis is a “tragic combination of good intentions, criminal deception and feckless oversight to turn America’s desire to relieve its pain into such widespread suffering.”

Here’s what the FDA told CNN about how this warning will work. “When a patient gets his or her prescription filled, the bottle should have a notification indicating there is a black-box warning for the drug. The consumer would need to go to the manufacturer’s website for details. In addition, pharmacists are encouraged to provide patients with a medication guide — consumer-friendly language explaining the risks of the drug. Under this new effort from the FDA, all instant-release drugs will need to have such a guide. It is up to the pharmacist to dispense this information, something the FDA encourages.”

The FDA ruling is a long-overdue step toward fighting America’s drug epidemic. I’m not sure it is realistic to assume that consumers will go to the manufacturers website for details, but I do think that pharmacists taking the time to go over the risks of painkillers will help. I have to agree with Senator Markey in what he told CNN, “It’s too little, too late.” We have a long way to go to turn this epidemic around and educating the public and doctors is key.

LINKS
Time Magazine Releases Cover Story on Pain Killers
Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing
FDA now requires ‘black box’ warning on painkillers

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription.

YES, IT CAN HAPPEN IN YOUR FAMILY!

March 9th, 2016

22616601_sThe hardest part about the heroin epidemic in this country is getting those who think “not in my family” to understand that it happens to ANY family. It happens to high school and college athletes – the “good kids” — and it occurs in higher numbers in our adult population over age 50. Why? Because painkillers are prescribed to injured athletes and adults with injuries and chronic pain, and painkillers are a gateway drug to heroin.

Let’s focus today on adolescent athletes and how an injury can lead to addiction. A 2013 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that young athletes are 50 percent more likely to abuse painkillers. Just yesterday CBS News ran a story about college high school wrestler Robert King who was prescribed the painkiller Percocet for his broken foot and who just a few years later found himself addicted to heroin.

According to CBS, “King’s story is not an uncommon one. As the heroin epidemic continues to rage throughout the country, high school athletes are falling victim to addiction in alarming numbers.”

I have written blogs about painkiller and heroin addiction for the past year and the need in this country for more awareness, and I applaud families who are opening up about their loved one’s addiction. Now, even in obituaries families are candidly disclosing the cause of death as a drug addiction. Families are not trying to scare anyone. On the contrary, they are helping to promote awareness that just may save a life.

In the CBS story, Jack Riley, Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), emphasized that addiction cuts across every demographic group. He told CBS, “Heroin never discriminates, and athletes are no different. This dangerous drug has become a powerful weapon of mass destruction for drug addicts, some of whom are athletes who first became addicted to painkillers while rehabilitating from sports injury.”

So what should parents do? Most important is to educate yourself about the growing painkiller and heroin epidemic. If your school or community is offering drug awareness education forums — go! Encourage your friends to go with you too. Learn about Narcan™ (naloxone) an opiate antidote. Opioids include heroin and prescription pain pills like morphine, codeine, oxycodone, methadone and Vicodin. Many local communities are training first responders and school staff in the use of Narcan.

Trust your instincts. If you think something is off with your teen, you’re probably right. Ask questions and get answers. If you have a child on pain medication, ask the doctor about it. In the end, remember this is an epidemic in this country so do what you can do to prevent it from spreading to your family. Knowledge is power – always a good place to start!

LINKS

The surprising path from student athlete to heroin addict  CBS

You can make a difference in the growing heroin epidemic. Blog by Dr. Henry Paul

He died of a Heroin overdose! Blog by Dr. Henry Paul

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical or psychiatric advice for individual conditions or treatment and does not substitute for a medical or psychiatric examination. A psychiatrist must make a determination about any treatment or prescription.