FDA looks to reduce refills on pain medications

Although there are many opponents to such a measure, the US Food and Drug Administration recently announced that it will be tightening restrictions on prescription painkillers this year which is likely to have a far reaching impact.

While it is of course indisputable that the abuse of prescription drugs is a serious problem for localities, the state of Florida, and the country as a whole, there is real concern that people who genuinely need these drugs for medical conditions are going to be left in the cold.

Those who receive home care for example, may be forced to make regular, and painful, trips to the doctor to get repeat prescriptions. Those in more rural communities that don’t have access to well-equipped doctors may also encounter problems, as nursing assistants will no longer be able to prescribe.  It could be argued that these restrictions could, in fact, create more of a need for prescription pain medications in these cases.

However, there are also some strong arguments as to why these measures are necessary. A large amount of prescription medicine is very easy to obtain, especially for children, for example.

Some substances, such as Clondine, are specifically prescribed to treat ADHD in children and insomnia in adults. While this particular drug is not currently in the FDA’s sights, it is still no less of a potential problem.  It is helpful to know exactly what the dangers of Clondine are, as well as other prescription drugs.

The danger lies in reliance.  This is the FDA’s key argument.  Problems can start with legitimate prescriptions for medical conditions — which, without the requirement for repeat prescriptions, can quickly lead to dependence or addiction.