Bob Twillman, the 2011-2012 Mayday Pain and Society Fellow and director of policy and advocacy at the American Academy of Pain Management, called for an end to the opioid pain medicine overdose epidemic in a column for The Hill's Congress blog.
Mr. Twillman says to solve the problem, regulation needs to focus on people using the drugs rather than physicians and pharmacies.
"If we want people to stop dying from overdoses, the most effective solution is to prevent people from getting opioid pain medications from friends and relatives — not stopping doctors from using these medications for legitimate pain relief," he wrote.
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Opioid Pain Reliever Overdose Kills More than Heroin and Cocaine Combined
Mr. Twillman says to solve the problem, regulation needs to focus on people using the drugs rather than physicians and pharmacies.
"If we want people to stop dying from overdoses, the most effective solution is to prevent people from getting opioid pain medications from friends and relatives — not stopping doctors from using these medications for legitimate pain relief," he wrote.
Related Articles on Prescription Drug Abuse:
Native American and Mixed-Race Youth More Likely to Abuse Controlled Substances
Study: Non-Medical Prescription Opioid Users Have Multiple and Distinct Profiles
Opioid Pain Reliever Overdose Kills More than Heroin and Cocaine Combined