Pubdate: Tue, 27 Jan 2004
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2004 Sun-Sentinel Company
Contact:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Doris Bloodsworth, of the Sentinel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)

FLORIDA SENATE HEALTH PANEL HEARS PROS, CONS OF OXYCONTIN PRESCRIPTIONS

Opposing sides clashed Monday in an emotionally charged hearing called by 
state senators looking into problems of overprescribing of OxyContin and 
other drugs.

About a dozen of the 40 people attending the hearing at the Orlando Public 
Library expressed their concerns to a three-member Senate health panel.

Several were parents whose sons died from drug overdoses, while others were 
patients who depend on painkillers to get through the day.

"Most of us who have lost loved ones to OxyContin know that our loved ones 
were not the stereotypical drug addicts," said Sandra Bell of Pensacola. 
Her son Joey Whiting, 30, died in 1999. "My son was not like that."

Whiting became addicted to OxyContin that he was prescribed for a shoulder 
injury he suffered at the grocery store where he worked, Bell said.

But pain patients told the senators they feared negative publicity about 
OxyContin abuse, addiction and overdose could affect their ability to get 
pain medication.

"Please be aware valid pain patients such as myself have great concern," 
said Fred Brown, who said he has used OxyContin and other therapies to 
treat pain caused by failed back surgeries.

Brown and a physician were among those who said they worried that a 
proposed prescription-tracking system aimed at curbing abuse was 
unnecessary and would have a chilling effect on doctors who prescribe 
powerful painkillers.

"I don't think the database is the way to go," said Dr. Paul Sovran of 
Kissimmee.

He suggested removing OxyContin from a state-approved list of Medicaid 
prescription drugs.

Dennis Pence of Kissimmee, who walked to the podium with a cane, said he 
thought OxyContin should be banned because it is so powerful. Pence said he 
was prescribed OxyContin after back surgery.

"I had breathing problems with it," said Pence, 43, who said he took the 
drug for about a week.

He said he stopped when he had trouble breathing at night when he tried to 
sleep.

Joe Levy of Apopka said he took 240 milligrams of OxyContin for three 
months and did not become addicted.

"I don't know how I would have survived without it," he said. "Please don't 
intimidate the doctors, to a certain point, from prescribing OxyContin and 
make people suffer needlessly."

Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples, responded that his panel was interested only 
in curbing illegal use, not restricting the drug for legitimate patients.

In December, Saunders called for the monthlong series of meetings after 
reports of overprescribing and high Medicaid costs were featured in the 
Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Sen. Dave Aronberg, 
D-Greenacres, and Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, also serve on the panel.

Fred Pauzar, head of a Winter Park architect firm, said his son 
Christopher, 22, died from an OxyContin overdose in November 2003.

He urged legislators to make changes to save lives and make sure that fraud 
does not rob Medicaid money intended for legitimate patients.

Florida Medicaid prescriptions this fiscal year are projected to cost $2.3 
billion. State officials estimate that about 10 percent of those costs are 
fraudulent.

State drug officials said a prescription-tracking system would catch many 
of those problems and cut overdose deaths in half.

Saunders said his panel next week will start crafting legislation to 
address the problems, including those discussed at Monday's hearing.
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