Pubdate: Sun, 15 Feb 2004
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2004 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Marc Kaufman, Washington Post
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)

DEA MOVES TO RESTRICT PAINKILLER

Widely Used Hydrocodone Being Abused, Agency Says

WASHINGTON - The Drug Enforcement Administration is working to make one of 
the nation's most widely prescribed medications more difficult for patients 
to obtain as part of its stepped-up offensive against the diversion and 
abuse of prescription painkillers.

Top DEA officials confirm that the agency is eager to change the official 
listing of the narcotic hydrocodone -- which was prescribed more than 100 
million times last year -- to the highly restricted Schedule II category of 
the Controlled Substances Act. A painkiller and cough suppressant sold as 
Lortab, Vicodin and 200 generic brands, hydrocodone combined with other 
medications has long been available under the less stringent rules of 
Schedule III.

The DEA effort is part of a broad campaign to address the problem of 
prescription drug abuse, which the agency says is growing quickly around 
the nation. But the initiative has repeatedly pitted the agency against 
doctors, pharmacists and pain sufferers, and it is doing so again with the 
hydrocodone proposal.

Pain specialists and pharmacy representatives say the restrictions would be 
a burden on the millions of Americans who need the drug to treat serious 
pain from arthritis, AIDS, cancer and chronic injuries, and that many 
sufferers would probably be prescribed other, less effective drugs as a result.

If the change is made, millions of patients, doctors and pharmacists will 
be affected, some substantially. Patients, for instance, would have to 
visit their doctors more often for hydrocodone prescriptions, because they 
could not be refilled; doctors could no longer phone in prescriptions; and 
pharmacists would have to fill out significantly more paperwork and keep 
the drugs in a safe.

Improper prescribing would carry potentially greater penalties.

The DEA says the change is necessary because hydrocodone is being widely 
misused -- with a 48 percent increase in emergency room reports of 
hydrocodone abuse from 1998 to 2001.

The DEA effort comes as the agency is embroiled in a dispute with many pain 
specialists over the use -- and alleged overprescribing -- of another 
powerful painkiller, OxyContin. Scores of doctors have been arrested on 
felony charges of conspiracy, drug trafficking and even murder in 
connection with their prescribing.

Susan Winkler of the American Pharmacists Association said her organization 
is concerned that the "ripple effects" would be substantial and negative.

"Our members and doctors would have increased liability" if hydrocodone is 
reclassified, "and that will inevitably reduce prescribing," she said. "We 
urge the DEA to make sure their decision is based on science and will make 
the situation better, not worse."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom