State DOT Stalls On Pain Relief

Meanwhile, Dr. Charles Aswad, executive vice president of the Medical Society of the State of New York representing thousands of state physicians, called for better communications between DOH and the medical community. "The rank and file of state doctors are not aware that a new DOH policy authorizes larger doses of narcotic medication to ease pain of terminally ill patients," he said. "Government has an obligation to get the word out to doctors and pharmacists."
According to an article published by the State Medical Society recently, DOH said "physicians and other practitioners should never be fearful of retribution when they prescribe controlled substances in the course of their professional practice for legitimate medical need."
But most state physicians are unaware of the softer DOH policy on controlled substances because the agency has failed to release its new directive to physicians.
The issuance of the new DOH rules has also been sidetracked as agency officials redesign the new prescription form and to set up an electronic transmission system to transmit the prescriptions to the Albany-based agency. There are 4,100 pharmacies in the state90 percent of which have applied for approval to transmit information to the state electronically.
A number of leading authorities in the care of the dying have told The Queens Courier that many doctors fear writing prescriptions for narcotic-based painkillers because the DOH is looking over their shoulder. They noted doctors are concerned that the DOH will cite them for medical misconduct if they prescribe excessive doses of the drugs.
"Doctors need to feel comfortable they are complying with the rules," Aswad said. "They are also not comfortable with one aspect of the system that calls for doctors to pay DOH 50 cents per prescription form. We think the state should bear that cost."
The debate over softening DOH pain medication regulations arose last September when dozens of Queens health and clergy joined together in a symposium at borough hall to review policies for the care of the dying.
One medical specialist, Dr. James DOlimpio, director of the comprehensive program in relief of cancer pain at North Shore University Hospital, said "doctors dont give the dying patients the pain relief they need."
He blamed the problem on rigid state policies on the administration of narcotics to terminally ill patients.