Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2005 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Karen P. Tandy, Administrator, DEA Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1157/a09.html?98032 THE D.E.A. AND DOCTORS To the Editor: John Tierney (column, July 23) suggests that the Drug Enforcement Administration has a "new strategy" that takes aim at legitimate physicians. This is not the case. Our fight against drugs has produced important results. Youth drug use has dropped by 17 percent over three years. The D.E.A. has increased its fight against the diversion of legal drugs to combat growing prescription drug abuse, evidenced by the fact that almost one out of every 10 high school seniors has abused prescription drugs. Doctors are a small part of the problem, with the D.E.A. investigating less than 0.1 percent of doctors last year and prosecuting only 12 of the more than 600,000 registered doctors. The doctors we investigate and prosecute commit criminal acts like writing fraudulent prescriptions to support their own substance abuse, exchanging prescriptions for sexual favors or monetary kickbacks, or gross overprescribing that results in grave harm to patients. Mr. Tierney doesn't mention those doctors, whom the D.E.A. must prevent from doing harm. It is incorrect to suggest the D.E.A.'s motives involve anything other than its responsibility to protect the public. Karen P. Tandy Administrator Drug Enforcement Administration Arlington, Va. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth