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Yesterday, the federal government announced a major settlement with Walgreens for improperly dispensing pain medications since 2012. Walgreens filled prescriptions from "pill mill" doctors, fueling addiction for many patients. This was a serious issue, and states responded by cracking down on pill mills and enacting sensible regulations, which have helped.
However, the settlement’s requirements for Walgreens seem excessive and misguided. I know this firsthand: my 72-year-old mother, who suffers from spinal stenosis and degenerative arthritis in her neck, fills her pain medication prescription at Walgreens every month. She’s been on the same dose for 16 years, never requests early refills, and never runs out early.
Yet, she’s treated like a drug addict. This over-policing of pharmacies and doctors punishes legitimate patients like her, making it unnecessarily difficult for them to access vital medication. Walgreens Agrees to Pay Up to $350M for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions and for Submitting False Claims to the Federal Government 🔗: https://t.
co/kbrNTXwSeu pic.twitter.com/EOKfsBal0F I’m not a junkie.
I don’t take pain meds. You may want to consider reading comprehension class. I was speaking about my 72 year old mom who has spinal stenosis, debilitating arthritis in her spine and neck who takes meds prescribed to her by her physician for the last 16 years so.
.. https://t.
co/ef7GY5aMDc When you try to have meaningful conversations on Twitter about legitimate patients who rely on long-term narcotic use, you’re met with absurd responses. This stems from the media and government portraying everyone who uses pain medication as a drug seeker, unfairly stigmatizing those with genuine medical needs. she has a full life with friends and family and would like to not be in pain ever moment.
I think she looks great! Hardly a junkie. pic.twitter.
com/HAsOFvp3yD My mother is nothing like the drug-seeker stereotype. She takes her pain medication to live a fuller life with less pain, though she’s never entirely pain-free—a reality most people don’t grasp. For many patients like her, these medications simply dull the pain enough to allow them to exercise, tend their garden, dine with friends, or enjoy their grandchildren.
That’s my mother’s story. It’s infuriating to watch the government target pharmacies like Walgreens because it’s an easy fix, while ignoring the real crisis. Kids are dying from fentanyl, not from prescription pain pills dispensed at Walgreens.
Many people do not realize how bad it can be for a lot of people especially those who do not have addictive personalities. The elderly are forgotten about and really need pain medication just to help themselves move and take care of their basic needs. https://t.
co/ufXhaigegn No one is dying from rx pain medication taken as rx. https://t.co/zbsdh1Z9lv.
