Pubdate: Sun, 30 Oct 2005
Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Johnson Newspaper Corp.
Contact: http://www.ogd.com/letter.htm
Website: http://www.ogd.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689
Author: Executive Board, St. Lawrence County Medical Society
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1665.a04.html

MEDICAL SOCIETY

To The Editor:

We would like to inform our community that the St. Lawrence County
Medical Society executive board met with the District Attorney and a
DEA official and we held several meetings with our physicians to
discuss the recent situation which led to Dr. Latimer's license revocation.

We are very disappointed how the case of Dr. Latimer was handled by
the District Attorney's Office. To our knowledge, Dr. Latimer's
prescribing anti-pain medication pattern did not justify criminal
charges to be applied. We feel that the "excessive medications
prescribing pattern" be better addressed by peer review medical
organizations and the Organization of Professional Medical Conduct
(OPMC).

Dr. Latimer has provided an important medical service to the community
including the treatment of many low socioeconomic patients. The
decision of his medical license revocation by the District Attorney's
Office is causing a major disruption to the medical care of our
community. Approximately 4,000 patients loss their primary provider.
In addition, other primary providers, including physician assistants
who were supervised by Dr. Latimer, have problems with continuation of
their clinics.

We are living in a medically undeserved area therefor, any loss of a
medical doctor creates a substantial problem in medical care
continuation.

In addition, we are sadden how we were informed about Dr. Latimer's
case from the newspapers when practically all the decisions were
already made by the District Attorney's Office. We would prefer to
work with local authorities from the beginning when the case was
started to be investigated in order to have prevented any possible
future medical misconduct which effects or community.

We are afraid that this type of decision will also create major
drawbacks in the future treatment of chronic pain patients since many
physicians may be afraid to prescribe stronger medicines resulting in
undertreatment of medical conditions and unnecessary suffering.

We would like to express our concerns regarding the recent events that
have taken place in our area, and to present options to prevent the
reoccurrences in the future.

Education and awareness are our strongest tools to use against drug
abuse. We highly encourage continuing education programs for doctors
and other health professionals in all disciplines to recognize the
signs of possible abuse in both prescribing and using prescription
medications. The public needs to be kept informed, as well, with
siminars, information sessions, educational displays and literature.
These ideas, combined with working with officials/authorities, can
help build awareness before the situation becomes a very serious
problem. Identification of the individuals who have become local
"street drug vendors" given to medical providers by local authorities
will also be beneficial in future prevention.

Medical Society of the County of St. Lawrence Executive Board:

President; J. Lucas Koberda, MD, PhD

Vice President; Lars Thompson, MD

Secretary; William Petersen, MD

Treasurer; Louis Canales, MD

Executive Vice President; Manuel Palao, MD
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin