DOCTORS WELCOME

Advocates for Prescription Opioid Reform (APOR), has been formed to invite all stakeholders, to come together for one purpose. 

That purpose is to “eradicate the death and addiction, stemming from medically prescibed opioids”.  

To achieve this goal it will be necessary for all of us-- including doctors, patients, and governmental representatives to work together.  APOR believes that only these entities can bring this public health crisis under control.. 

We believe, that the time has come to ask local, state, and federal government to take action regarding the massive amounts of prescription opioids on our streets and in our cabinets.  Until government agencies and state medical boards begin working together in an organized and collaborative manner we fear that the crisis will continue, unabated, with morbidity and mortality continuing to skyrocket. 

In July of 2010, the FDA held a meeting of stakeholders, in which the REM’s (Risk Evaluation Mitigation), Advisory Committee unequivocably told the FDA staff that the problem of physician education and training needed to be addressed by Congress, citing that the core problem was a lack of authority by any one agency within the existing governing bodies.  They also opined that stricter narcotic licensing was required, due to the fact that many physicians were generally unprepared and poorly informed on the “best practices” involved in prescribing opioids.  Furthermore, they advised that it was not recommended to leave it up to the physician to “voluntarily” get the training needed for opioid prescribing.  .  This expert panel called for a mandated training programs for physicians who wish to prescribe opioids for the long-term opioid management of pain.

APOR, is strongly opposed to pharmaceutical involvement in educating physicians about the use of full agonist opioids.

Physician education on opioid prescribing must attempt to correct an extensive record of misinformation that has minimized the risks of opioids and has exaggerated the benefits. The guidance document produced by Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP) (see Cautious Evidence Based Opioid Prescribing) is an example of educational material desgined to dispel misinformation about opioid prescribing.