PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
By Andrew J Hohenthaner, CFO, APDF
January 18, 2022
Children with Severe Pain Go Untreated, Cause: CDC Guidelines, DEA Threats
Misinformation, Deception and Lies
After the CDC released its 2016 guidelines titled, ‘CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain’, the Trump Administration declared war on prescribed pain medicine by vowing to, “liberate the United States from the opioid abuse.” The administration considered both the drug addicted population and adults dependent on daily pain medications equally as drug abusers. This action devastated the lives of nearly 40 million people who reported living with high-impact pain. Patient advocacy groups since have fought back, trying the maintain some form of improved quality of living.
Riding the wave of anti-opioid sentiments, the DOJ has aggressively pursued medical providers nationwide by subjectively accusing them of overprescribing; often accusing doctors of being drug dealers in white coats. The mistreatment of medical providers has now reached a new low.
Silent War on Children
The cruelest form of unintended consequences is the crackdown on facilities serving our precious children. The nation has over 2.1 million children suffering with chronic painful childhood diseases. Renowned children’s hospitals nationwide have all but banned using long term opioid therapy as a method for improving the quality of life for those aged 6-17 in severe constant pain.
David Jr., 10, recently succumbed to leukemia as a patient at the A.C. Green Cancer Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The oncologists fought diligently to win the battle against Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) but ultimately lost. In his 10 years of living, David was cancer-free for just four months.
He dreamed of going outside and throwing a ball around or riding a bike through his neighborhood. He just wanted to be a kid. Yet, he was forced to live a life of extreme misery. He was forced to live that way because CDC guidelines suggested he might become addicted to opioids. David Jr. had severe and untreated pain that was with him nearly every day of his short life.
A Life Worth Living, Help from Advocacy Foundation
David’s parents contacted the American Pain and Disability Foundation to help advocate on David’s behalf. Working as a team, the assigned advocate was able to arrange an opioid therapy program that fit the needs of the patient, not the altruistic dogma of federal agencies.
It was almost too late for David, but he was able to live his last months in less suffering with the pain finally under control. His mother, Deb, stated, “We are so appreciative of the advocate and all the folks at APDF for making David’s last days his most exciting.”
It should not be a crime for doctors and physician assistants to treat pain by any means they deem appropriate based on their clinical experience and knowledge. Medical providers and cancer centers like the AC Green Cancer Center should not withhold pain treatment out of concern they will face the wrath of a DEA agent and the loss of their licenses to operate a medical practice. Primum non nocere.
The American Pain and Disability Foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity staffed by volunteers and funded by donations only. If you know of a pain sufferer that has been denied appropriate care, contact APDF at AmericanPainDisabilityFoundation.org or 833-554-PAIN(7246).
Filed under: General Problems | 4 Comments »