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You're right that doctors can prescribe fentanyl, but I'm not so sure about your (implied) claim that prescribed fentanyl is contributing to the opioid epidemic

You're right that doctors can prescribe fentanyl, but I'm not so sure about your (implied) claim that prescribed fentanyl is contributing to the opioid epidemic. To my knowledge, fentanyl is safe to take when done in proper doses (as are most painkillers). The problem with fentanyl is that since it is so much more potent than drugs like heroin, when the two are mixed people can overdose much more easily since they won't know that the fentanyl. And the fentanyl being mixed in with heroin isn't coming from Dilaudid prescriptions, it's coming from China: http://securepackages.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/USCC-Staff-Report_Fentanyl-China’s-Deadly-Export-to-the-United-States020117.pdf http://securepackages.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/USCC-St... So unless you can figure out a way to stop the drug trafficking industry, fentanyl+heroin aren't going away. Perhaps we will see fentanyl produced less if China cracks down / increases regulations on their pharmaceutical industry. Unfortunately the opioid epidemic is going to have to be stopped by moving away from the casual prescription of opioids, which is what creates opioid addiction in the first place. I think your open doctor project is really cool and is a good way to start: shame doctors who are essentially operating as pill mills for their "patients." My hope is that people so obviously abusing the system like the doctors at the top of your list end up losing their license to practice medicine, or behind bars.

hammock 9y ago
A lot of fentanyl is coming from Mexico, where they easily synthesize it, and it's introduced into the heroin supply as a cutting agent. Whether or not it's "contributing to the opioid epidemic" depends on how you interpret that phrase. In other words, people are getting HOOKED on opioids because of the 12hr dosing of oxy etc that has been discussed on HN in the past. But people are DYING OF OVERDOSES because they cannot afford/lose access to pills and switch to heroin from the street (adulterated with fentanyl).
- opportune 9y ago
  The source I linked mentions that the primary route fentanyl takes is from labs in China to Mexico, then to the US. Yes, we are in agreement then. I just don't think the epidemic (or the deaths) is as easy to stop as ransom1538 thinks, because the fentanyl problem by itself stems from trafficking instead of prescriptions. AndYou can't really stop the drug trafficking part of things very efficiently, see the DEA for proof. Personally I believe that the deaths are secondary to the addiction anyway. Of course, it's very, very bad that people are dying due to adulterated heroin, but the most effective way to lower deaths is probably to prescribe less of those 12hr oxies.
actsasbuffoon 9y ago
According to most of what I’ve read and seen, opioid prescriptions are contributing to the problem. It’s true that people aren’t overdosing when following their prescribed dosages, but some people are getting addicted. A common story for opioid addicts starts with, “I was in a car accident, and they prescribed opioids to deal with the pain. Once the prescription ran out, I was in incredible pain, maybe even worse than before I started taking the pills. I started buying pills illegally. Once the pills got too expensive, I switched to heroin.” I’ve seen far too many stories that follow that basic path. It’s definitely not the only way people get addicted, but it’s too common.

hammock 9y ago

A lot of fentanyl is coming from Mexico, where they easily synthesize it, and it's introduced into the heroin supply as a cutting agent. Whether or not it's "contributing to the opioid epidemic" depends on how you interpret that phrase. In other words, people are getting HOOKED on opioids because of the 12hr dosing of oxy etc that has been discussed on HN in the past. But people are DYING OF OVERDOSES because they cannot afford/lose access to pills and switch to heroin from the street (adulterated with fentanyl).

opportune 9y ago
The source I linked mentions that the primary route fentanyl takes is from labs in China to Mexico, then to the US. Yes, we are in agreement then. I just don't think the epidemic (or the deaths) is as easy to stop as ransom1538 thinks, because the fentanyl problem by itself stems from trafficking instead of prescriptions. AndYou can't really stop the drug trafficking part of things very efficiently, see the DEA for proof. Personally I believe that the deaths are secondary to the addiction anyway. Of course, it's very, very bad that people are dying due to adulterated heroin, but the most effective way to lower deaths is probably to prescribe less of those 12hr oxies.

actsasbuffoon 9y ago

According to most of what I’ve read and seen, opioid prescriptions are contributing to the problem. It’s true that people aren’t overdosing when following their prescribed dosages, but some people are getting addicted. A common story for opioid addicts starts with, “I was in a car accident, and they prescribed opioids to deal with the pain. Once the prescription ran out, I was in incredible pain, maybe even worse than before I started taking the pills. I started buying pills illegally. Once the pills got too expensive, I switched to heroin.” I’ve seen far too many stories that follow that basic path. It’s definitely not the only way people get addicted, but it’s too common.