Readers React: In the rush to curb opioid abuse, don’t forget chronic-pain sufferers

To the editor: From the comments in response to The Times’ articles on OxyContin and from the editorial on the opioid epidemic, it seems obvious that a clearer distinction needs to be made between a patient who is regularly using opiates for chronic pain and someone who is an addict. Many of the regulatory overhauls appear to be throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

Chronic pain, according to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University medical economists in 2012, costs the U.S. up to $635 billion a year through medical costs, work days missed and other effects. The biggest causes of chronic pain noted by the study were arthritis and disabilities that limit ability to work, conditions suffered by patients through no fault of their own and for which there is no cure.

Furthermore, cases of arthritis are on the rise in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 78 million American adults will have arthritis by 2040. These people’s daily realities of suffering debilitating pain never seem to be reflected in the calls to action, editorials and legislative initiatives aimed at curbing opiate use.

Chronic pain is exhausting. It robs the sufferer of energy, focus, motivation and sometimes the ability to carry out even the most basic life functions. And as shown above, chronic pain is widespread and expensive. If anyone has a safe, effective, non-addictive alternative to opiates for treating chronic pain, that’d be great. Until that day arrives, calls for regulatory overhaul should be tempered by compassion and the knowledge that opiate use and opiate addiction are not the same.

Kathy Leslie, Thousand Oaks

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To the editor: The Times’ investigation goes where angels fear to tread if one dares to confront the U.S. medical and pharmaceutical professions after probing their collusion with the opioid makers.

Where is government when we need it? Lives have been lost. All of us are affected and know someone who is the victim of pharmaceutical company- and doctor-induced suicide.

It is time to rise up and let our voices be heard to curtail the ongoing epidemic of opioid abuse.

Leona M. Merrin, Las Vegas

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To the editor: Thanks for this revelatory investigation of the drug OxyContin and its patent holding-producer Purdue Pharma. Your response to the company’s claim of stale information was convincing, although the report would still be valid news due to the comprehensive analysis of an ongoing and developing dilemma in our society. (“Purdue Pharma issues statement on OxyContin report; L.A. Times responds,” May 6)

The expanding number of opioid addictions is ominous. How many overdoses will it take to produce action?

Two chilling patterns are apparent. First, the company was able to manipulate its sales force and at least some doctors for the sake of profit. Second, Big Pharma in general can game the government. Both our courts and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration come out looking bad.

Shouldn’t this be a major issue in our election?

Jeffrey Eulberg, Reseda

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