Who is Peter Mekeel to practice pain medicine?

The column “Just a regular guy…hooked on pain pills” is a disgrace to Lancaster journalism and a lapse in the judgment of not only the columnist, that as far we know is not a physician let alone a specialist in pain medicine, but also of his editors.

But it isn’t just irresponsibly bad journalism because of the misinformation and conclusions it implies, but because it jeopardizes the very lives of hundreds of persons living in Lancaster County who suffer from great pain.

Here is what Mekeel says:  “He had injured his back at work.  Years of lifting and bending had taken its toll.  Surgery, physical therapy and pain pills followed.  Then a desk job.  But the acute and chronic pain persisted  So his doctor tried a wider variety of pills:  Vicodin, Oxyconotin, Percocet.  But the pain grew.  So did his craving for the pills.  Then he got laid off.  And his new job in essence, became finding devious ways to get more drugs.  He was hooked in a big way.”

Because of lack of research, Mekeel has it all wrong!   The sad situation is likely caused by the  lamenetable  ignorance of physicians concerning prescribing the appropriate amount of pain medicine or their fear of losing their licenses and going to jail because they will be accused of over-prescribing a narcotic.

We cannot speak to the specific case at point but, in general, the amount of pain medicine required to allay suffering varies enormously from one person to another, having to do with their metabolism.  One person could require a twenty times or more pain killer than another.   If the subject was withering in pain, he was probably being under medicated.  When he was gaming the system, he was simply trying to find relief.

Unlike Mekeel and the editors. the Watchdog devoted twenty-five years of his life to the study and educating others concerning drug policy, and spent hundreds of hours learning about the proper treatment of pain from doctors who have the courage to specialize in pain management.

Those who do properly treat pain patients often  find themselves in great trouble because they gain a deserved reputation for bringing relief to undertreated chronic suffers, so others seek them out.  Before long they are writing a large amount of prescriptions for narcotics and have the DEA and the medical association investigating them.

Furthermore,  the medical colleges do not provide the necessary education in pain medicine, so doctors are guided more by myths than by facts.

We invite Mekeel, editors and our readers to “Suffering From Chronic Pain?” and then “Good News for Doctors and Pain Patients”.

The Lancaster Newspapers have had an admirable history of insightful reporting on harm reduction efforts such as syringe exchanges and methadone clinics.  We recognize that the Mekeel column is an aberration resulting from shoddy reporting and careless editing.  Hopefully the editors will take efforts to immediate redress the situation by a column from an authority on the subject.

Perhaps a newly edified and chastened Mekeel should write the article.   If so he can start his research at www.csdp.org and the Watchdog will be pleased to put him in touch with other sources.

Our advice for Mekeel and the editors:  “First do no harm!”