Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jan 2006
Source: Roanoke Times (VA)
Copyright: 2006 Roanoke Times
Contact:  http://www.roanoke.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/368
Note: First priority is to those letter-writers who live in circulation area.
Author: John Brownlee
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)

FIRST, DO NO HARM

Brownlee is the United States attorney for the Western District of 
Virginia who prosecuted Dr. Cecil Knox.

She was a young mother and thrilled to be pregnant again. She and her 
husband had two beautiful children, and now they were expecting 
another baby girl. Unfortunately, this young mother had fallen on the 
ice and injured her lower back -- causing her pain and discomfort. 
Her obstetrician/gynecologist had prescribed a mild pain medication, 
but the expectant mother found no relief. She was then referred to 
Dr. Cecil Knox, a self-described "pain specialist."

According to evidence presented at his trial, Knox prescribed to this 
young mother, who was now four months pregnant, 120 40 milligram 
tablets of the powerful painkiller OxyContin at her initial 
consultation. Two weeks later, Knox prescribed an additional 115 
pills, and an additional 220 pills over the next three weeks.

Within days, the powerful opiate had taken control of her and her 
unborn baby. As both mother and child craved the OxyContin, Knox was 
ready and willing to keep the drug flowing -- while billing the 
insurance company for each visit.

Although Knox promised her other doctors that he would "taper" her 
OxyContin, Knox continued to increase this young woman's OxyContin 
dosage. The week before her baby was born, Knox prescribed 450 20mg 
OxyContin pills and ordered her to take 12 pills a day -- nearly a 
100 percent increase from her initial prescription.

As one can imagine, the baby was born addicted to OxyContin. Dr. 
Robert W. Allen, the neonatologist who took care of the baby, told 
investigators that hers was "the worst drug withdrawal syndrome [he 
had] experienced in over 30 years" of practicing medicine. 
Fortunately, the child has fully recovered and is now a beautiful and 
healthy 6-year-old girl. But, as her mother testified, the family 
will always bear the physical and psychological scars caused by Knox.

On Jan. 20, Knox was sentenced for racketeering, illegal distribution 
of prescription drugs, health care fraud and distribution of 
marijuana to a patient. Knox admitted to illegally sharing 
prescription and street drugs with patients and attempting to defraud 
those who were paying for his services.

The Honorable James P. Jones stripped Knox of his medical license and 
prohibited him from prescribing medications -- including OxyContin. 
Knox was sentenced to five years probation and fined $5,000. The 
court has assured that Knox will never again harm another patient.

Although some of the local media coverage focused on the impact of 
this prosecution on the lives and fortunes of Knox, an objective and 
complete summary of the case must include the voices of those 
patients and family members who spoke about the years they suffered 
because of excessive medication or combinations of medications 
prescribed by Knox.

During the investigation, patient after patient, and family members 
for those who had died, described the dehumanizing effects of drug 
use at the levels and in the combinations Knox prescribed.

Finally, many of Knox's patients went on to other doctors and other 
treatments after Knox was arrested, and most of those patients 
testified that their quality of life dramatically improved.

One woman testified that being tapered off the very high levels of 
narcotics Knox prescribed was like "waking from a dream" and allowed 
her to realize and remember that she had small children who were 
growing up without her. Post-Knox, she managed her discomfort with 
over-the-counter medications while remaining active in her family's 
life. That good news is an important part of this story.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman