Senate Investigations Could Blow Open Deadly 'Undertreatment of Pain' Fiasco

Part I - What does the Federation of State Medical Boards have in common with Scott M. Fishman, MD, Lynn R. Webster, MD and others financially tied to the pharmaceutical industry -- resulting in an opioid epidemic devastating families throughout the country?

Courtesy: ProPublica

(MYRTLE BEACH, SC) - The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and Drs. Fishman and Webster are all under the radar of the U.S. Senate looking into the culpability of the FSMB and other physicians including Fishman and Webster into their possible financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry in pushing dangerous opioids for the "undertreatment" of pain in the country. Webster is also currently under Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) scrutiny for deaths at his pain clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah.

From the FSMB website "The Federation of State Medical Boards is the leader in medical regulation, serving as an innovative catalyst for effective policy and standards. FSMB leads by promoting excellence in medical practice, licensure, and regulation as the national resource and voice on behalf of state medical boards in their protection of the public"

In Lynn R. Webster, MD book "Avoiding Opioid Abuse While Managing Pain - A Guide for Practitioners" - "Barriers to Treatment in State Law" Dr. Webster writes the following:

"State laws, regulations, and guidelines have come a long way, thanks in large part to the influence of the FSMB Model Policy. However, problems still remain. Not only are many state requirements stricter than federal law, they still vary greatly among states. Some of these requirements are used to override medical decisions with government decree.

The Pain and Policy Studies Group (PPSG) which is headquartered at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, leads the field in research into the impact of state pain policy in medical care and opioid prescribing. Reports issued by the PPSG discovered language within state statutes and guidelines that could erect barriers to good pain management. The group found that several states:

Perpetuate confusion among addiction, tolerance, and physical dependence.
Characterize the medical use of opioids as a last resort.
Suggest that the medical use of opioids exists outside of professional practice.
Limit prescribing according to the quantity of the drug needed or the duration of treatment.
Limit the length of prescription validity.
Require specialist evaluation before opioids are prescribed to treat pain."

Webster

Interesting reference by Dr. Webster to the Pain and Policy Studies Group (PPSG) at the University of Wisconsin since they are also under U.S. Senate investigation because they admittedly took $3 million plus from the makers of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma to fund their studies. Could the University's studies on opioid prescribing been influenced by the windfall given to them by the maker of an opioid responsible for distorting the facts as to the addictive and fatality statistics of OxyContin? May very well be a question the U.S. Senate would like answered -- truthfully, of course.

And this off the FSMB website referencing their "Model Policy" -- "Responsible Opioid Prescribing - A Physician's Guide." A book written by Scott M. Fishman, MD entitled "Responsible Opioid Prescribing - A Physician's Guide" is also under US Senate investigation as is Dr. Fishman. In Fishman's book, he states "The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) has commissioned this book and is distributing it to physicians to offer clear and concise guidance in managing the risks of pain management with opioids." (See the bottom of this article).

Fishman

I'm curious as to why the FSMB representing every Medical Board in the U.S. would attribute their Model Policy to a physician (Fishman) with strong ties to the pharmaceutical industry -- not to mention this questionable medical statement made by Fishman in his book:

"Many people also under-report pain because they fear that pain medications will dull their cognitive abilities, lead to addiction, or result in unmanageable side effects. And last, some patients may believe that there is value in suffering, it is their due, or that in some way they deserve to be in pain to expiate some form of "wrong-doing" or "sinfulness."

I don't know what the US Senate is thinking as they look into the financial ties of physicians and pharma contributing to the FSMB in their setting up guidelines for the prescribing of opioids to physicians in every state in the country as hundreds of thousands of families deal with deaths and addictions resulting in the opioid epidemic. Somehow I think there is not enough soap in this country to wash the blood off the hands of the FSMB.

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LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS (USMLE/PLAS/SPEX) CREDENTIALS VERIFICATION (FCVS) LICENSURE APPLICATION (UA) PHYSICIAN DATA (FPDC) EDUCATION & MEETINGS ADVOCACY & POLICY FSMB FOUNDATION PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA CONTACT A STATE MEDICAL BOARD CERTIFICATIONS	Overview FSMB Model Policy Resources FSMB Foundation RESPONSIBLE OPIOID PRESCRIBING: A PHYSICIAN'S GUIDE FSMB Model Policy Responsible Opioid Prescribing: A Clinician's Guide is based on the Federation of State Medical Board's influential Model Policy for the Use of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Pain. The Model Policy is a revision of a set of guidelines initiated in 1997 by the FSMB Foundation to assist state medical boards and other health care regulatory boards in promoting the appropriate use of controlled substances in the management of chronic cancer and non-cancer pain. The original guidelines and Model Policy have been widely distributed to state medical boards, medical professional organizations, other health care regulatory boards, patient advocacy groups, pharmaceutical companies and state and federal regulatory agencies. Nearly 30 states have adopted all or part of the Guidelines/Policy for their own policies. The Model Policy recognizes the growing problem of illegal trafficking and misuse of prescription medications, while the providing model language that may be used by state boards to clarify their positions regarding the use of controlled substances to treat pain, alleviate physician uncertainty about such practice and encourage better pain management. The Model Policy reflects significant progress made in the medical community's understanding of pain management in recent years by: Recognizing the inadequate management of pain and barriers to appropriate treatment; Emphasizing the dual obligation of government to develop a system that prevents abuse, trafficking and diversion of controlled substances while ensuring their availability for legitimate medical purposes; Revising definitions of addiction, chronic pain and physical dependence to reflect current consensus and expertise in the medical community; and Updating criteria for evaluating the appropriate management of pain To view the Model Policy for the Use of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Pain, visit http://www.fsmb.org/grpol_policydocs.html.

Part 2 next week - Lisa Robin, FSMB, Lynn R. Webster, MD, and Purdue Pharma collaboration with the American Academy of Pain Management. LP - The Forever Better is tagged by the Forever Best - Popcorn? Love you and the love back...

Marianne Skolek twitter.com/MarianneSkolek
Investigative Reporter for Salem-News.com on drug epidemic
www.salem-news.com/by_author.php?reporter=Marianne%20Skolek
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmPG1VjD61U&list=UUWoHUEr4ZAbQOfIqtOArjgg&index=6&feature=plcp
judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=e655f9e2809e5476862f735da12c8394&wit_id=e655f9e2809e5476862f735da12c8394-2-1
www.vawd.uscourts.gov/PurdueFrederickCo/default.asp
www.oxydeaths.com908-285-1232

Salem-News.com Investigative Reporter Marianne Skolek, is an Activist for Victims of OxyContin and Purdue Pharma throughout the United States and Canada. In July 2007, she testified against Purdue Pharma in Federal Court in Virginia at the sentencing of their three CEO's - Michael Friedman, Howard Udell and Paul Goldenheim - who pleaded guilty to charges of marketing OxyContin as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients. She also testified against Purdue Pharma at a Judiciary Hearing of the U.S. Senate in July 2007. Marianne works with government agencies and private attorneys in having a voice for her daughter Jill, who died in 2002 after being prescribed OxyContin, as well as the voice for scores of victims of OxyContin. She has been involved in her work for the past 8-1/2 years and is currently working on a book that exposes Purdue Pharma for their continued criminal marketing of OxyContin.

Marianne is a nurse having graduated in 1991 as president of her graduating class. She also has a Paralegal certification. Marianne served on a Community Service Board for the Courier News, a Gannet newspaper in NJ writing articles predominantly regarding AIDS patients and their emotional issues. She was awarded a Community Service Award in 1993 by the Hunterdon County, NJ HIV/AIDS Task Force in recognition of and appreciation for the donated time, energy and love in facilitating a Support Group for persons with HIV/AIDS.