California has removed a provision allowing the Department of Justice to require a patient prescribed pain medication to submit a medical evaluation, an American Cancer Society report said.
The DOJ had the authority to require anyone prescribed pain medication to submit a medical evaluation performed by a physician employed by the DOJ. The Pain and Policy Studies Group formerly said that the provision was an "impediment to appropriate pain management."
"This authority to subject people who have been prescribed these medications to a law enforcement-ordered medical evaluation serves to perpetuate misconceptions and stereotypes that contribute to an environment that discourages the legitimate treatment of pain," the Cancer Action Network said.
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"This authority to subject people who have been prescribed these medications to a law enforcement-ordered medical evaluation serves to perpetuate misconceptions and stereotypes that contribute to an environment that discourages the legitimate treatment of pain," the Cancer Action Network said.
Related Articles on Pain Medication:
HMO Targets Overprescription of Opioids
Chronic Pain and Prescription Drug Abuse Cost U.S. More Than $323 Billion a Year
Study Finds Opioid Use Higher in Unemployed, Less Educated